Chambered Roses
by deirdre's dreams
Summary: He was Abyssinian, she's a marionette. His weakness, love and hers, inexperience. Together, they taught each other. This is my first attempt at a SaberMarionetteJ xover! RnR!
1. Chambers

Hello guys and gals! This is for my first attempt for a Weiss Kreuz x Saber Marionette J fic. Hope you'll love my pair! Please don't forget your reviews…pleaaassseeee! Enjoy!

**CHAMBERED ROSES **

I:CHAMBERS

In her fingertips, everything felt so frigid that she needed a LOADED amount of warmth.

But she can't hug anybody. She can't even touch anything besides her own fingertips and this alienating threadlike material (though it's much thicker and stronger than mere thread) that's so cunningly cumbersome and literally electrifying.

Oh, and a floor she could barely see. And some running objects she couldn't see enough nor catch enough to put a name on.

She's tied in an incredibly electrically conducting rope. It's the simplest way to top it all off.

And she doesn't even know the reason why. Or she simply didn't want to hear of it anymore.

She's starving to death. And she can't talk for her mouth's covered with wire. And she's passed out a couple of times for those countless electric shocks.

Not knowing what else to do—or not having any courage nor strength to do anything else—she did the only thing that she could ever do besides laughing, eating, playing, running and, well, fighting bad guys and protecting her little friend in Japoness.

She cried.

_If I'm with you_

_Wanna stay to me_

_I want to feel you_

_I need to hear you_

_You are the light_

_That's leading me_

_To the place_

_Where I'd find peace…again_

_You are the strength_

_That keeps me walking_

_You are the hope_

_That keeps me trusting_

_You are the light_

_Into my soul_

_You are my purpose_

_You're everything_

_And how can I stand here with you_

_And not being moved by you_

_Would you tell me how could it be _

_any better than this?_

_You calm the storms_

_And you give me rest_

_You hold me in your hands_

_You won't let me fall_

_You stilled my heart_

_And you take my breath away_

_Would you take me in?_

_Take me deeper now_

_And how can I stand here with you_

_and not being moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be_

_any better than this?_

_And how can I stand here with you _

_and not being moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be_

_any better than this?_

'_Coz you're all I want_

_You're all I need_

_You're everything, everything _

'_Coz you're all I want_

_You're all I need_

_You're everything, everything _

'_Coz you're all I want_

_You're all I need_

_You're everything, everything _

_You're all I want_

_You're all I need_

_You're everything, everything _

_And how can I stand here with you _

_and not being moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be _

_any better than this?_

_And how can I stand here with you _

_and not being moved by you?_

_Would you tell me how could it be _

_any better than this?_

_Would you tell me how could it be_

_any better than this?_


	2. roses

II:ROSES

Two months more have passed, and still, no developments.

He leaned against the bedroom wall, sighing. He is the Abyssinian, the master of his sword, the wielder of life—but in most cases, death—to those who are not fit to live anymore.

But it's such a shame that he couldn't have such authority over the only relative that he has—his sister.

She had awakened once, two months ago. Talked to him. Once. Smiled at him. Once. But fate was not siding to them as she fell into her slumber once again, and this time, the doctors can't think of anything else but to wait.

Just like before. Over and over again.

Sighing again, he shifted his eyes from the ceiling to his bed and smiled. At least he was given the happiness of knowing that she still lived, no matter how ephemeral it has been. He could wait that very long, knowing that it was worth the wait.

He knew already he was not alone. He will always have a sister to look after.

Pulling out of his daze, he managed to shift his concentration on the now-sleeping figure lying on his bed, making him realize—and stop smiling at that—that he, after all, really _was not_ alone.

He didn't even _know_ her.

He came across her a distance away from his new house as he walked back home from the hospital. She was wearing a skintight body suit, hopping around—one of her legs was injured—staring around, all disheveled and wounded.

He knew what trouble looks like. And he knew he had to get away from her.

But when he moved safely closer—she really didn't even notice him there even if they were practically facing each other—and saw her tear-streaked, frantic and in so much shock she even can't speak a letter, his sharp instincts told him that she might have escaped from someone very bad and needed a place to hide. Simple logic made his house the best option for such and after weighing things completely, and surprisingly without much hesitation from her—she lay dead on his arms the moment their eyes made contact—he carried her onto his house.

He didn't really mind much for his work made him prepared to deal things as absurd as this. His place is also secluded—somewhere near the forests and not so near from human population—that unwanted company is the last thing to worry about. And lastly, if ever there is unwanted company, he can very well protect himself. And her.

Though when looking at one angle, she is unwanted company herself.

Yet he really could care less, either. Besides, after washing her face, arms and legs and tending to some of her wounds, he found out that there really were no serious injuries that would require hospital care. Like admission. Her leg can cope.

Which means that she could leave in a shorter time.

Looking at her again, he realized that in the middle of all his thinking the girl has moved and, seeing her weakly support herself as she rise up, has awakened. With the afternoon sun just setting, the red-orange rays bathed her hair, silhouetting her form, making her look like an imaginary sight, an enigma to him until now.

"You're finally awake."

His chilly words, though tender in meaning, cut sharply in the room. He inwardly sighed. Perhaps he didn't plan to make it sound that way, but he really was not an affectionate guy.

Perhaps not openly affectionate to just anyone.

Besides, he has a right to give her the benefit of a doubt with the way she came introducing herself, right?

Her blinking eyes were the only answer she gave, which means that she really was not that capable of comprehensible speech yet. She stared around again. And suddenly like an onslaught, her body came racking as she coughed, her voice hoarse. She must have the blankest and most confused eyes he had ever seen as she frantically looked around, very round and—though normally warm with their sea green color—flat dead. One wouldn't need a sharp mind of an analyst to know that her own mind was not there.

At least she looked better after being slightly cleaner.

"W-where…where am I?"

He wondered, as he regarded her intently for the first time with her very faint and coarse voice, if she had talked at all. And with her distant eyes which settled on anywhere but him, he wondered if the question was really directed at him. He still answered anyway.

"In my house."

"In…in your house?" Again, that voice of comprehending yet not comprehending.

"Yes."

Silence. A few stifled coughs more.

"Whe—"

"Whatever or whoever is chasing you had been successfully eluded. You need not worry on that for now. However, you need your rest." And with that, he shut her off completely as he also stood up. He wanted to keep this encounter as brief and as unsocial as possible.

"I'm going to prepare dinner. So I'll leave you for now. I'll be back 30 minutes after."

He left before he could ever see her slight nod and smile at the mention of food.

O-o-o

Their dinner was the longest and the quietest he has ever experienced.

The girl—she seemed still distraught to be able to reveal information such as her name—though still pale, had gained color after she has eaten her first spoonful. Her movements were slow and methodical, like she was not enjoying the "ceremony" at all. That and the fact that he thought she had given him the clue on that as she first looked at the plate served in front of her as if faring it would be inedible.

Oh, well, he admitted really was not the best of cooks if they talk on appearance. But the food is of course safe if they share the same menu. Not that the girl would care in her present condition.

And for the hundredth time that day, he was still ramming his head for reasons why the girl has shared the table with him and eating with him.

Where did she ever come from? Now that he really had given it much thought, he wondered how she ever could have come to this side of town when it is in the first place from the populace. Who is she escaping from? Why? He looked at the girl again.

She still won't look at him. She still won't speak much. He gave up trying. He didn't dare try for he didn't want to get entangled in unnecessary turn of events with this girl, and he has planned to dispose of her as quickly as possible without being noticeably rude.

Without bothering to wait for her to finish—she still is absent-minded to notice—he stood up and took his plate and headed towards the sink. While washing the dishes, he slightly glanced at her once and continued with his task.

"I have work in the evenings so I can only return during the dawn and get back again in the mornings. Feel free to roam inside the house or better yet, rest in my bedroom but do not go outside. It is still not yet safe." And with that he looked at her again.

He might as well not bother talking to her.

She didn't seem to really pay attention, her head directed towards the open hallway where the door can be seen. Half of her food is untouched, and it slightly disturbed him that she just sat there, unmoving and uneating, her full concentration on that door.

It would have been a dead giveaway for what was about to happen. But he was too engrossed on what else her mind was thinking about. He didn't bother to ask. He never wanted to.

O-o-o

After a few more moments, he was ready to leave. The lady was already tucked comfortably in his sofa with a blanket covering her with warmth and a pillow she hugged so tightly he feared the contents might burst. She seemed to refuse in using the bedroom as she looked at it uncertainly when he tried to lead her to it. So much the better. He never liked sharing his room to just anybody anyway. Especially to somebody he even did not know.

"I'm leaving. Good night."

She slightly craned her neck to look at him. A few nods. Then looked at the pillow she was clutching as if her life mattered to it.

The place was silent as ever again. Ironically it was more silent even if it already housed more than one occupant.

He was already twisting the knob when he was cut off by the soft voice.

"What is your name?" It was asked in a whisper.

He stared at her hard. At her blank expression. Her blanker eyes softened by the dark light he prefer to have. And thinking that she definitely would forget the piece of information anyway with her state, he decided to give his real name.

How idiotic.

"Ran. My name is Ran."

This brought another nod from the girl. And like some goodbye note, she gave what she could best afford in her condition, a genuine smile.

"Goodbye now. Good night."

And the door finally hid her from view.

Little did he know that that smile would have been another giveaway.

Neither did he also know that he left without even hearing the faintest—and softest—words that would have been the last that he could ever get from her.

"Thank you…Ran."

O-o-o

It seemed that he won't return at dawn after all. His hands will be free of blood—for now.

The meeting was quite shorter than expected.

They were just called by Manx to brief them of another mission. And then they were freed afterward. The mission, as realized, would only need their full attention the moment the 'sentenced ones' have moved.

So there really was nothing much more to do.

He was never a social guy who would sit for a few moments and make short chat, even if he had been with the other assassins for a long while now. His life has always been held in privacy- except that slight slip on Aya- and he wanted to keep it that way.

As he walked back home, he was still contemplating whether he made the right choice of not surrendering nor mentioning his encounter with the girl to Manx and the other assassins. But he hated the misunderstandings Yohji would always love to supplicate, and he wondered if he would be completely disposed of the situation if he gave it to someone he knew and vice versa. So he decided to just shut up and think about it later after certain developments have been done.

He might as well not waste his time.

It seemed that the girl had decided for both of them.

O-o-o

He knew it the moment he opened the door.

Amidst the silence, the soft, dark, and gloomy light, the hollow hallways, the slightly crumpled yet folded empty blanket, the pillow shrunk in almost-shreds, and the absence of the wielder, nothing has quite changed.

She was gone. There were no traces of her being ever there. Not even a strand of hair.

She left as quickly as she came.

As he made a quick tour of his own house, he realized that she had managed to fix his room and wash the dishes before she left. What greeted him in his bedroom was the already fixed sheet of bed linen and the soft fragrance of…white roses.

He actually knew it was white.

How could she ever have done that with her distracted state, he would never know.

It must have been the shortest day of his life.


	3. Encounters

III: ENCOUNTERS

At first, everything was a haze, a confusing montage of faces, smells, feelings, voices. Everything, from sparks to echoes and sizzling sensations, blended and soon melted with all that is black, and as tiny, erratic, stirring dots occupied her visual space, engulfed her horizon and shocked her with a shudder so intense, her windows paving way to reality finally bolt open.

A few seconds, and her eyes can only flicker back her confusion. From edge to edge, her irises can only blink back and forth in uncertainty.

Especially at the white (white?) ceiling she's staring at which is far from being constructed with steel. At the slightly wind-blown curtains (curtains?) on the windows (windows?). At the delicately bleak lighting of the room (a room!). At the very comfortable bed she's lying (a bed!). And at the vase full of flowers—no, roses— placed on top of the side table (roses!). Not to mention the homey—_homey!_—dark surrounding her…

If these things hadn't driven her to a sudden surge of hysteria at all, then probably nothing else will.

But faintly realizing that she already can hug anybody if she wanted to, that the frigid atmosphere has vanished into thin air, that there was no presence of any threadlike electrocuting material in her wrists and that she could barely feel any body pains, she finally settled on the prospect that she might be falling into the land of dreams.

Or perhaps, the land of peaceful, eternal sleep.

Somehow, this land seemed more comfortable.

But the curtains seemed real. The little drops of sweat on her skin and face felt real. The faint scent of roses on the vase seemed real. And the sweetness on the first taste of freedom seemed very real that she never really wanted to let all of them go.

If this is so, then maybe _that_ other one, that one with the electrocuting rope, the painful shrieks and frosty floor, must have been the _real_ dream, then.

But that dream also felt real, if ever her burned wrists could attest to that.

So she tried testing the accuracy of her present situation. She dug under the warm and heavy blankets—she actually felt warmth, must be a clue—and pinched her forearm. Real hard. And then sensations of pain just started to shot right through her, prickling her hairs up.

She sighed, either from the hurt or the relief of realizing she indeed has not dreamed this all, she can still not tell.

So she tried another tactic. She fearfully willed her feet to move upward. And much to her amazement, she didn't feel any electric shocks this time. And she has quite guessed it well; she could very well raise her feet. So she was not tied up into that cumbersome thread/rope anymore.

So this must be really it. She really must haven't dreamt that sudden explosion and escape to liberty after all. Plus the frantic words the doctor has left before all turned to a confusing black.

But instead of giving her more comfort, the situation only gave her much confusion.

But being the happy person that she is, she felt her spirits spiraling high at the discovery of non-imprisonment. She must look for Dr. Hess. He must be the reason behind all of this. He is the _only_ reason behind all these. She must be able to give him her thanks. And grant the promise she made him before he let her escape.

Her maiden chip really must have worked again, for she could feel her energy level boom.

Oh, she sure is going to surprise the doctor by showing him that she is already healthily…well…happy.

As what the story of her life would always be.

So she suddenly went off the bed and opened the door. Real wide. With her super smile plastered on her face. And her arms and limbs ready for its usual greeting.

"Ha-O!"

_One. Two. Three._

She was stopped short at her popular leg-raising move.

For of all the things in the world, she never expected a woman scolding a crowd of men, face her. With her frazzled fingers just nibbling around under her nose. Then all of them to stare back at her.

She only stood frozen. Then innocently blinked. And innocently blinked. And innocently blinked some more.

She shrieked.

ooooooooooooooooooo

If he wanted one thing in his life, a perplexed voice of Manx greeting his ears in the brink of his morning duties was definitely not one of them.

Not including looking at a snickering Yohji, a sheepish Ken and a blushing Omi.

He merely passed them and went to his post, to the stand where his apron and gloves would be.

They need not say it. He was more than glad to officially open the door of the flower shop for them—and for the customers. Than get involved into their present state of concerns.

He silently thanked the gods for making this day silent. Usually he would already be met with more than a handful of lovestruck almost-shrieking ladies the very moment he would open the door. But fortunately today became the exception. He knew today was the start of exams week.

Or it could be Manx's voice.

But that didn't change the fact that Manx still continued with her perplexed mood, no matter the silently welcoming day.

Especially when Yohji was trying to defend the three of them. Of all people, it has to be Yohji.

Yohji in defense was definitely something to be looked-for for a century. Yohji in defense was not a typical Yohji at all.

"But Manx…you should have seen her last night! Then maybe you would be able to understand why Omi insisted that she must stay in Aya's previous room!"

At the sound of his supposed name, Aya finally stopped and decided to _care _to listen.

"I don't care if she is near to dying or not, damnit! It won't change the fact that what you have done has just endangered the very identity that we have tried so hard to keep to wraps—!"

"But Miss Manx, the girl was wounded all over and was in complete shock! She didn't even notice us! She was acting like a lifeless marionette—" Omi piped in.

"How stupid could you get! What if that girl is just pretending! You should know those tactics they use by now, damnit! Bloody hell, you were not being cautious! What will you do if she's a spy! And to think that you just let her in, without even checking her out! For God's sake, she must have all of the corners of the shop already bugged—!"

"Manx, please calm down! If she did move, we will be able to sense it, okay?"

"How can I calm down when that girl is still inside that goddamn room!"

And as if expected to be on cue, the door that Manx had just pointed suddenly opened and showed the girl giving _that _slightly weird yet amusing move (A/N: those who knew Lime—yes, it's obvious that the girl is Lime—would very well know how she moves!) plus that greeting of her.

Everything happened in a matter of still seconds. It was that fast that the gaping four were not able to comprehend yet what has happened before they heard that girlish shriek.

Then that quite sudden solid _falling_ thud.

The girl, for the third time, had shocked them all by fainting right in front of them.

_One. Two. Three._

Manx broke the stunned silence first.

"And that…that's what you call a girl who is in complete pain and shock!"

ooooooooooooooooooo

While fixing his apron, gloves, flowers and packing materials, Aya had just started to get familiar with all the brawling as he caught the words '_girl_', '_shock_', '_bug_', '_stupid_' and '_spy_' repeatedly to know that the guys had done something stupidly dangerous. Again.

It need not be said that it will still concern a girl in a piteous condition. As _always._

He sighed.

Again. It seems that no matter how hard they try, they still couldn't get over that one weakness, which is, concern for all the damsels in distress. He won't act hypocritical to deny that he has also done that act a few hours ago. And a few months ago, he got tangled with Sakura. And he also has a sister in that state, too.

But unlike any other rescue mission, the girl whom he thought he had just saved had gotten away—

_Why bother? It's what you wished for anyway._

"_What's your name?"_

"_Ran. My name's Ran."_

"Ha-O!"

Then the annoying sound of that girlish shriek. Then the solid thud.

The commotion finally got the better of him.

His patience has finally worn out all of its thinness. Perhaps it is time that he started to care about the suddenly grave situation at hand.

He was just halfway on asking what the bloody hell has happened when Manx cut him off by deadly pointing the lying girl and shouting her indignant words.

"—that's what you call a girl who is in complete pain and shock!"

He stared hard at the expressions on his co-employers' faces, then looked at the flushed and vein-throbbing face of Manx. Then looked at the direction of her arms. Then at her hands. Then at her fingertips. And finally, at the subject of all this unnecessary affection.

He felt his heartbeat stop. Everything stilled to silence. He could feel his eyes and face contorted in shock.

He shouldn't have just cared to listen at all. He shouldn't have followed Manx's fingers as they stiffly pointed at the morose form lying dead on the floor.

He shouldn't have bothered to think about helping people in need. Or get guilty. Or feel pity.

For he may not be able to see that blank sea-green eyes or that slightly grimy cheek or that trembling hand, he was sure that the wielder of that bluish purple hair and that deathly shriek was the same girl who had managed to sneak into the forest to his secret whereabouts. She is undoubtedly the same girl who is lying on the smooth, flat panes of her stomach right now.

There is no way in describing how much he'd felt right now. Dumbstruck? Thunderstruck? Flabbergasted?

But Manx seemed to give no damn about his feelings for he suddenly became the bearer of her grunt, being so available just appearing in front of her.

"Well, what are you doing just looking like that! Do something!"

But Aya, who was about to leave and escape all of it, just turned around as if nothing ever happened. God knows how intense the feelings he had painstakingly kept in check as of the moment.

"I don't wish to be involved. You better do it."

And with that, without much like a glance from them again, he resumed to work.

He never saw the surprise reflected on their faces as he went to look at the flowers.

ooooooooooooooooooo

When he was sure that he was completely out of their sensing range, and that he was at least around ten meters away from that girl, he let out all he felt in one shaky breath.

Waterfalls don't fall without gravity. No precipitation happened without condensation or the clouds. No suspect would be found guilty if there were neither victims nor a jury. There will be no tears without sadness. No action without motivation. No reaction without action.

No effect without a cause. A source. A mission.

Nothing happens without a reason.

No coincidences.

The girl is no exception.

He can't help but get suspicious. For he may not be able to even give a name to describe what he's feeling toward her for no word seemed perfect but he knew one thing.

She is perfect. Especially her plot.

He definitely sided with Manx's opinion.

He was no man who believed in coincidences, indeed. It's just too much that the same girl had ended in both _his_ rooms which are kilometers away from each other. With the same condition. With the same state of introduction. With the same piteous effect she could evoke.

It was really too much of a coincidence, indeed.

One thing was sure. He did not trust her. And he'll make sure she'll know that fact. For he may be wrong, but he'll give much more of the benefit of the doubt needed.

How many times where they tricked? How many times did danger get paired with people like them? How many times did their enemies use these situations to abuse them? To endanger them?

Not wanting to dwell on the situation any longer than what is needed, he moved his way to the shop proper and met the customers with as much vigor as a disinterested hoarfrost.

A few meters away, three girls were already eyeing him with awestruck wonder as they to seem to get interested with the roses. He could only sigh in half-pity, half-amusement, and half-cold.

He'll get to the girl later. For sure she would need all the free time that she could get before she could meet him. He'll make sure of it.


	4. Hunt

IV:HUNT

The rough road formed countless lumps in his already bonked head. The low ceilinged vehicle did not help him at all. Not to mention that the ones who gave him the previous lumps were no ordinary ladies in particular. Each of them had a strength that rivaled five equally compelling soldiers fused as one.

But of course, they would always take his _awful_ behavior as an excuse for their battering. Not that he cared anymore. They all knew that the ladies were just trying to release all their worried tension. And being always known the gentleman, he was more than ready to offer all his help. Although he didn't know until now as to how much that offer had cost him.

He worriedly felt his new lump again. He sighed. He just hoped it wouldn't add up to his disheveled state considering his already scruffy hairstyle. He looked at the exhausted crew in front of him. It only made him sulk more.

They'd been having this same static situation for three months. Hopelessly looking for Lime. They've left one place to another, asking strangers for the person who has suddenly disappeared. They were like that for a month when Yumeji finally got ill. It continued that way still until he, Cherry and Bloodberry all had the same dream with Lime shouting in pain, with some menacing voice laughing in the background.

Cherry had assured them all that if only Lime were fifty hectares away from them, she could already sense her. But nothing still happened. They are passing these deserted plains for how many days and yet no sign of Lime could be felt in the air.

And so it couldn't be helped that they felt lazier and less, less hopeful day by day.

A few seconds later he felt the strands of his hair prick as clammy and chilly hands grasp his arm. He felt his face turn to a balmy white.

It was Hanagata, of all people. Talking incomprehensively in his sleep.

This trip was surely a revelation to all of them, as far as Hanagata is concerned.

If only the whole pack was not dazed by Hanagata's sudden outburst—his sudden realization to his deep feelings for the missing girl—putting all of them in stunned silence, he would really feel less, less uncomfortable. That turning point of course relieved him to more than he expected he would be, but it didn't change the situation that Hanagata is still watching him close.

Actually even closer than what he has ever been experienced from him.

Because if before the guy had never taken off his eyes on him due to his unending patronizing, he still does the same unnerving act though this time he's keeping real real watch, intent on guarding his potential rival's every move.

And shred him to pieces—no doubt—if he'd do the first move before him.

"_I've already given you enough time on her before! Don't you think you're too unfair if you won't let me talk to her, too! And after all that you did to hurt her when you chose that girl over MY Lime…!"_

He didn't know if he should be happier with this sudden change. He noticed that the guy had grown more height than him and that his frame is sturdier than before. His voice had gone deeper, too. He is definitely the transformed one in this trip.

He sure still won't be let alone though. Even if countless times had he assured him that he won't interfere, Hanagata is as scrutinizing as an agent. He won't let anything just be left to chance.

After all, as what he so scathingly accused, he did have the habit to somewhat hurt his dear Lime, intentional or not.

He slowly shoved his hands off of the mumbling guy and inched closer to the lady who has been leaning on the windowpane of the low-ceilinged truck. She smiled up at him when she sensed that he was approaching near.

He couldn't help but smile back. Even if she looked as stressed as any of the people around them, her smile still radiates, like fresh water from a live well.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He sat beside her.

"How many hours more until we'd reach Japan?"

"Three, tops. I can already see treetops from this distance."

He arched his eyebrows. "So now you've developed another talent on this trip?"

"Oh, yes."

"And that would be having keener eyesight than Cherry and Bloodberry?"

"By their sleeping state, it's impossible they'd see what I'd see now."

"So you're saying…"

She gave him those sly, radiant smiles again. "I'm trying to teach you optimism, Otaru."

He smiled at that. But went back to sulk again. "We still haven't found her."

"It's still two months, Otaru. You did discover us a hundred years after we were…frozen."

"That's too much optimism, you know."

Smile.

"Now, you would mind letting other _unromantic _folks here sleep, now, would you?" that sly voice embodying the figure of Bloodberry disrupted them from their conversation. The two fell silently blushing at the woman's scrutinizing gaze.

A few seconds later, she laughed.

"C'mon, it's not that I'm the oblivious Lime who had no idea that you're closer to an item, you know."

With that, they fell to a more serious silence.

"Ow, c'mon, don't tell me you're still fussing over that guilt streak, do you?"

But before they could answer, they felt rather than heard their vehicle forcedly stopping in its track. And felt rather than heard Cherry suddenly get up.

"What happened, Tiger?"

Tiger, the one who was assigned to do the driving as of this moment, only looked her surprise.

"Sss…some…Somebody's out there."

"We knew that, Tiger. But why are we stopping? Our vehicle's _very small_ and the rough desert's _very wide_. You could have just evaded that someone easily!" Bloodberry piped in.

But before Tiger could retort, Cherry already opened their vehicle door and went outside, meeting the person personally instead.

"Wha…What happened, Tiger? Why is Cherry going down?"

"That somebody…"

"What about that somebody, Tiger? C'mon, we haven't got all day and we possibly couldn't see that person in our position!"

"He is not just a somebody," she whispered.

"What?"

"He is not just a somebody!"

And before they could ask her more, Cherry finally got inside with a man slumped in her shoulders, wounded and barely breathing. They could only widen their eyes in surprise.

"At first it was very faint, but I am sure of it. Lime is with him a while ago! I'm sure of it!"

Right before Cherry's shoulders was, of all people, one of their greatest nemeses.

Doctor Hess.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

They did say that sleep is the greatest antidote of all time. But sleep, when abused, also gives the reverse effect.

She woke up feeling twice as much dizzy as she felt the first time she woke in this same room. Everything is foggy and grainy in her eyes that she still had no idea where she is.

She knew nothing that's sure for particular but the fact that her bed is soft and warm. And that the place is dark.

_Bed._

_Again, again. A bed._

_A soft and warm bed._

_Why is she in a bed?_

_Why did she wake up in a bed?_

_Why did she sleep in a bed?_

_What happened?_

_What really happened?_

"Oh, I'm glad you're awake!"

Uh-oh. She vividly had no idea what happened to her.

_Who is this person talking?_

At the sound of his slightly unfamiliar but comforting voice, she really couldn't help but close her eyes so hard as a very faint sensation of déjà vu crossed her nerves.

She's familiar with this situation before. Like she'd been tucked to this kind of bed before. And been met with that greeting as she opened her eyes before. Though the voice is different. Though the bed seems quite not the same. Though the words used now seems much more…homey to be heard.

But no matter how hard she'd close her eyes and try to squeeze the details out of her mind, it would only bring a sudden shot of electric shudder to her body, making her stop at her very persistence. The fact is inescapable.

She did not remember what happened to her last night, or the days before that.

"_Don't worry, you'll forget everything…promise…"_

Everything is just so much like a haze that she couldn't rearrange her thoughts chronologically that fast enough. So she simply rolled away to the opposite direction from where she thought the owner of that voice would be as she tried reorganizing everything once again, only to discover that by doing so, she only made the two of them get practically face to face. Or rather, his nose on her forehead. She silently complained in disappointment.

"Hey, dinner's ready." She even felt the smile of his voice. On her upper cheek.

She silently groaned once again, not grasping what the words that voice said conveyed. She was known—and she prided herself at that—for her super keen senses, but accomplishing that first unexpected mistake only proved that she really is more disoriented than what she thought she is. She'd _never_ go wrong, as far as sensing a person's location and direction is concerned. She learned that from her sister.

Well, getting into this situation, normally never, anyway.

Guess everything has a first time. Go figure.

A few comforting shrugs and taps on her forehead and cheeks finally forced her to finally open her eyes and take a look at this man as a wave of irritation flowed through her. Goodness, but this boy is annoyingly persistent. All she wanted to do right now is sleep and spank him silly for bothering.

But this man…he really is persistent.

"Come on, if you'd sleep more, you'd get weaker. You haven't eaten anything for a day. Dinner's ready."

And that magical word—yes, food—finally did the trick. At the sound of food, her instincts to stay alive overrode any want of sleep or mind-organization and finally woke up.

What she saw rather made her blink, though. A sudden sense of déjà vu once again filled her. No boy, or man, would ever do this to her before. Tease her. Comfort her. Smile and laugh with her. Nobody except…

She really must be dreaming. Could it be…?

At the sight of her being wide-eyed, the lad coaxing her to wakefulness only smiled in admiration.

Living in his present world where deception is intense, he could only stare in fascination for he has never seen eyes that wonderfully open and innocent before. And he only liked to stare at them more.

"Ah, finally. I figured you'd be awake if I'd remind you of your state of hunger. Not having eaten anything since last night is no joke after all…" he added with a stifled laugh as he watched at her changing expression.

She only stared amazingly into the foggy image. Definitely _only _one male person would do this to her. Could it really be…?

"…I'm glad you're still fine. You really had us worried last night!"

_Us? Worried? _

Could it be…?

It doesn't matter. The outline sure told her it's him. And that he hadn't changed after all. He has the same round eyes, body structure and color of hair, though this time he finally took the time in fixing it neatly. And uncontrollably, the emotions she normally would feel at the very sight of seeing him alone came flooding back once more.

In a matter of seconds, Omi was just as surprised that the sea green eyes morphed to a new form as it started to shed some blissful tears.

"Oh…wait…miss…"

The next thing was more unexpected as the lad could only feel the maiden jumpingly sit upright from the bed and hug him so tight like she's the happiest person on earth. And that he'd die from suffocation if he couldn't control her excitement fast enough.

"Otaru! Oh, Otaru! Otaru! It's you! Oh, food! Oh, Otaru!"

Otaru? Oh, no, this has got to be something more like a mistake.

Too late. He could only faint in embarrassment as he heard the door being shoved open and the light switch being moved. Then came the lights. And expectedly _that _voice of _his._

"My, my, my. Are you two getting that intimate already? Tsk, tsk, tsk. And here I was silently worrying for the two of you!"

Uh-oh. He could tell that the maiden was more surprised at the voice than at those words, if ever she still had the time to recover enough to be able to comprehend them. He felt rather than saw her slowly move away from him. He felt rather than saw her hands tentatively peel away from his shoulders. And felt rather than saw her stare hard at the bearer of the voice as it was she who is practically facing that one as of this moment.

Uh-oh. He knew she's stared at his co-employee hard. He knew those still seconds. He knew that stock-still body language of hers.

Oh, no. this is definitely not, not good at all. He felt her move away from him so she could look at him—her Otaru—this time.

Uh-oh. Oh, no, no. He definitely knew her stare. And knew that blinking. And that second blinking. And that blinking again.

Oh, no. He knew what would definitely happen next.

Oh, no.

He finally heard the same deafening shriek.

A few blank, black moments.

And the same solid, falling thud.

But this time, it was he who had fainted.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

They waited for him to open his eyes after Doctor Lorelei had tended to his wounds.

He had slurred in his sleep. Then moved sideways. Back and forth. Restlessly talking to somebody in his dreams. Mumbling. Pained mumbling.

"I do believe that he's trying to tell us something," Lorelei concluded, her voice decisive.

Cherry made a go for his voice as she neared her ears to his direction. They watched her intently as her eyes took on a serious note. For three more minutes they stood that way, Cherry leaning closer to Doctor Hess to catch more of his slurring and the rest of the gang—with the exception of Yumeji who is patiently waiting in his own bedroll—leaning closer to Cherry to catch her news delivery in an instant.

A few more exasperating seconds…

"Well…what? Is he mentioning my Lime yet?" Hanagata insistently inquired.

"Shut up, skinny freak," Bloodberry admonished.

"Why…of all the nerve—"

"I do believe that our patient will die out on us if we continually shut down his source of oxygen, don't you think?" Cherry interrupted, her voice so sweet it is as painful as it was forced.

"We really are quite zeroing on him," Lorelei softly agreed as she took on their very-close-it-was-sure-to-suffocate-the-doctor position.

Otaru was the first one to move away. Hanagata was the last, if not continually nudged by Bloodberry.

"It's not that _our _Lime would appear out of the doctor's mouth, you know, freak."

"You wouldn't feel what I'm feeling anyway."

"Why, of all the—"

"Don't tell me that you're in love with _my_ Lime?"

"She happens to be my youngest sister, idiot!"

"My gosh!" Cherry suddenly interrupted, shutting them up once again. But this time her voice and expression is not chiding. Her eyes were as big as saucers.

"Well…what?" Hanagata started once again.

"What have you got, Cherry?" Otaru asked, now a little perplexed.

"I…he…no…"

"What?"

"Well he…I…no…"

"WHAT!"

They might as well not ask Cherry for the doctor answered them himself.

"Lime…no…"

"WHAT?"

"Escape…now…death…"

Lime. No. Escape. Now. Death.

They looked at Cherry's aghast expression again.

Could it be that Lime is dead?


	5. Catastrophe

V: CATASTROPHE

When he was on his way to the flower shop the next morning (after that 'Manx Disaster'), he was half-expecting to see any signs of trouble—with regards to their new 'visitor'— that would somehow cross his co-assassins' features. But he was greeted with none except the overflowing crowd of their fan girls. He silently muttered complains under his breath. It's not that he hate them all—for he does have a sister about their age, too, who he cared for very deeply—but it's also quite as obvious as the sun that they're here not to buy flowers at all. Well, not really as their first priority.

He wondered why they obsess over this kind of stuff rather than on their studies first. It's not that they could give them all the knowledge they needed for college, how stupid that remark may sound. But how they prioritize getting to this flower shop in the brink of the morning first rather than study for their exams, he will never know. If he were to choose, he'd definitely go for the latter.

But he's not a girl, obviously. And he can't go to school, for other obvious reasons.

When he was able to escape the stampede and sneak into the back door to start for work, Ken is still as silent as ever as he frantically attends to one lady to another, ladies who are clutching his sleeves. There's no need for words. You can see it in his eyes that he's somehow flattered with the attention, but too much is just not so good.

When he glanced at Aya's arrival, he somehow released a sigh of relief.

Yohji, on the other hand, forever holds on to that rapacious attitude of his as he managed to leave words to the gals so affectionate they could faint before he attends to another.

"Oh, so you're finally here, lover boy! The girls have been recklessly waiting for you! What took you so long?"

And true enough, at the mention of his name, the gals all none but shrieked their amorous delight, to his horror.

"AYA-SAMA! AYA-SAMA!"

This is not a good start at all.

When the rest of the girls had finally gotten over their morning ritual—for they do still need to study—it was already near afternoon. Aya finally noticed that Omi was not with them that morning.

"Where's Omi?" he finally voiced out when he sensed that the information will not be freely given to him.

"We gave him the day-off so he could focus on _his _lady. He's actually inside the kitchen, preparing us lunch as a form of thanks. You see, he really haven't slept that much for tending to that big catch of his—"

"Yohji," Ken warned.

"What? It's the truth!"

"Admit it, you're just jealous."

"And you aren't? With those pretty eyes, who wouldn't be?"

"Yohji, the girl's only about sixteen years old!"

"And I am what, forty-five? You really hurt me, Ken. Asides from the fact that age doesn't really matter, I'm not old!"

"But you are diabolically dangerous to that girl—"

"There's simply no such thing as that, right, Aya? You tell him, Aya. Tell him about you and Sakura and the fact that age doesn't matter—"

"Yohji, you talk like a girl," Omi suddenly entered, a disgusting expression in his face.

"Oh, and isn't this our new lover boy!" Yohji crooned, much to Omi's flushing embarrassment, Ken's amused bewilderment, and Aya's simple disgust.

"Lunch is ready," was all the lad could say in his flustered state as he went back to enter the dining hall.

Ken simply smiled. Yohji snickered in his accomplishment. Aya simply went to eat.

When they entered the hall, though, there's no sign of the girl's existence but a tray of medicines, a glass of orange juice and a bowl of soup neatly placed in the table.

"So, she's not awake yet?" Ken asked.

Omi nodded, still not looking at them as he prepared their food.

"Poor maiden," was all Ken could say, his words guarded.

But Yohji, being what he is, simply took the other side.

"Really, Omi, if I simply am not mistaken, you suddenly act like a giggling oversensitive high school lad having his first crush! What's wrong with you!" he once more crooned, clearly amused. Omi simply reddened more, but this time not out of embarrassment.

"Stop acting so childish! A girl is lying on one of these beds for two nights without waking up and that's all you can say? Have some sense!"

And with that, Omi took the tray and without so much as a glance, went out of the room.

Aya was surprised. What happened in here? The hall was silent for a few moments.

"Yohji, you finally hit a nerve."

"I was trying to loosen him up! I know that even if he cared about the gal, he's still guilty that Manx reacted that way. I know it troubled him that she could really be a spy."

Yohji sighed and finally sat down. "Ken, I know that as of this moment, you and Omi are of the same boat—" Ken started to protest, but he cut him off "—well, in fact, I can guarantee you that I'm with you as well…but I know that you also see the gravity of this situation. Yesterday we were blinded with the girl's previous piteous state but Manx's logic yesterday clears our heads to objectivity. And don't even think that you're out of this, Aya. So now the question really is, what do we do with the girl?"

A few silent moments, until Omi came back in.

"We best wait for her to wake up, Yohji. Then go from there. The problem is she's not yet awake." He sat back down.

"Knowing Manx, she did rub it off in the girl!"

"Are you sure she's not standing out there, listening? We still have to be careful, though," Ken finally said.

Omi shook his head. "I'm sure of it. I tested it by trying to carry her but she only gave an absolute dead weight on me."

They went back getting silent again.

"Surrender her to the police?"

"What for?"

"Bring her to the hospital?"

"And pay her hospital bills?"

"Give the information to the media?"

"And risk our covers?"

"So you're telling me that letting her stay here is the best possible option."

"So it seems."

They fell silent again.

"Aren't we supposed to be hungry and eat this?" Omi suddenly said, trying to loosen up.

Throughout the whole meal, Aya was silent. He was relieved but he still did not know if he'd share his one encounter with the girl. Giving them information won't help much but still, he didn't feel so good if he couldn't talk about it, like he's purposely keeping it from them.

But then again, looking at what Omi is painfully enduring from Yohji right now…

Decisions, decisions.

He decided to keep it quiet, if at least for a while more.

Then the phone rang. Then Omi picked it up. Light was shining in his eyes, one of humor. Of scheming humor.

While at the table, Yohji never stopped his 'ranting and raving'.

"—c'mon Ken. Don't act as if you're not affected like this ice guy over here. Anyway, Aya's already taken—"

"Yohji."

"Ken, stop pretending! I know you like her too!"

"Yohji."

"Well, I do like her _a lot_. She's cute and very interesting. Like Sleeping Beauty coming to life. Now that we've answered question no.1, we only have to answer question no. 2. What do we do with Omi?"

"Yohji."

"Me? What about me?" Omi asked while replacing the phone.

"It's not that we're not concerned about the girl but he won't let us tend to her!"

"Nobody offered!" Omi protested, sounding flabbergasted.

"And he's always in there."

"That doesn't mean you couldn't get in there and tend to her yourself, too!"

"Of course we know that, lad. We're not idiots! But why are you _always _in there?"

"Yohji!"

Aya is having a headache. This is exactly what he hated to happen.

Goodness. They sound so stupid.

Omi's red all over again. "There's an order waiting for us in this address. A bouquet of tulips. For 1000 yen. Who's willing to deliver?"

"Since you're so _busy_ with other matters to do it yourself," Yohji chided, his voice feigning disdain.

Omi now tensed. "The offer still stands."

"I'll do it," Aya said.

The offer was actually some blessing in disguise. He really needed to get out of this place fast. Before he'd also lose his mind. Omi handed the piece of paper for him to study. With a smile ridiculously in his face.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," he answered creepily. He only silently rolled his eyes. Of course, Omi was trying for vengeance by going to him.

He really needed to get out of here.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was Sakura, sitting alone in the bench.

And it seems that she's waiting expectantly for him to appear. Especially that he saw that brilliant smile of hers appear at the sight of him. There was no hint of surprise in her eyes as she stood up and walked a few steps, and dallied there.

"I knew it would be you who'd best offer himself to deliver the flowers," she silently said, a smile on her lips.

But Aya could feel nothing but only pain.

"I'm about to deliver these tulips to a certain Touya Hirizawa, in this certain spot. I guess he still has not yet arrived."

But Sakura only laughed. "There is no Touya Hirizawa, Aya, but me. Sakura. Do you still not yet understand?"

She walked a few steps closer to Aya, her face happy but guarded. "I know that you hate being deceived—"

"You just took away some of my trust, Sakura—"

"Aya, please. Even I know that this is not too much. And you know that there is no un-deceptive way as far as meeting you is concerned!"

"Sakura—"

"No, you please listen to me! Why are you doing this?" She is five steps closer to him now, and he could see hints of tears sliding in her eyelids.

"For once you never talked to me again! You ignore me like I am no more important than a doormat!"

The once happy and confident lady he saw a while ago has now turned to someone who's insecure, who's desperate, and who's lonely. He fell silent. What else could he say?

"I don't know if you're still trying to protect me…but don't you see? The storm's gone. Everything's okay. I only wanted to see you, to know if you're fine, if you weren't hurt so much…if your sister's recovering…but you keep pushing me away! Aya, I—I worry for you too much! I care for you a lot! I—!"

He suddenly moved closer to her, and in one swinging motion, gently placed the tulips to her trembling fingers.

"I came here for one reason and for one reason alone. I've delivered the tulips. You need not pay it, it's for free. I hope you could accept that as an…apology of sorts."

The once sliding hints of pain were now freely trailing down her cheeks. He saw her tremble in disappointment at his words. He didn't know how to say it in a gentler way so he could not hurt her even more. But he just couldn't give what he knew she needed the most.

"Aya…please…"

"Now you know that I'm fine."

"Aya…please…!"

"Sakura…this is for the best of you."

She kept on crying. She knew what those words meant.

"Goodbye, Sakura."

And because he knew that anytime soon she would stop him, he finally moved away.

And headed to the hospital, to where his sister will always be.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_SWISH! BANG! THUD! THUD!_

"Wait! Please, calm down! You don't understand!"

He was not expecting to face another 'Manx Disaster' the moment he returned to the flower shop. Especially after that meeting with Sakura and his unresponsive sister.

But he guessed he never had any trouble with getting undesirable luck these days.

He willed to just go home and be left alone. But he couldn't. They have another 'important meeting' with Manx this evening. And of course, that would mean he shouldn't be absent.

_Swish! Bang! Thud! Thud!_

Now going back to the present situation…

"Waahhh!"

"Wait! Don't—!"

Trip. Muttered curses. Shrieks. Held breaths.

What did he just mention? Did he just say that he'd rather go home and be left alone?

_Swish! Bang! Thud! Thud!_

Goodness. Sitting alone in his home is really sounding better and better this very moment.

"Wait! Err—miss—!"

"Let go—waahhh!

Some running and slight tripping on certain tables.

_Swish! Bang! Thud! Thud!_

"Tell me where they are!"

"Miss, err, please…!"

"Tell me you—waahh!"

_Swish! Bang! _

He needed no other prodding to know that this is no 'Manx Disaster'. But that their little girl has finally woken up. Unfortunately it's in the wrong side of _his_ bed.

"Tell me!"

"Miss, I don't know what—"

He finally decided to face this brooding chaotic storm lest they could wake their farthest neighbor and make a fool of themselves.

_Brace yourself, Aya._

He gathered all his strength and went to proceed to the dining hall. As he neared the room he could already see shadows swaying so fast he thought they were blinking icons themselves. He'd seen the hysteria there.

_Oh, yes, brace yourself, indeed._

He forced a sigh down his throat and tried to relax. But until now he couldn't still understand why self-discipline and self-control is so hard to execute for the others. Especially these guys.

He finally reached the entrance of the hall and studied the scene. And some stilled silence on his part to add dramatic flavor. Damn. He never even saw that coming.

There he saw, as expected, a very anxious Ken, trying to catch up with the awoken girl. She looked the same as far as he remembered, only now that her face is redder. And so full of life. He could clearly understand why.

But why it's so hard to catch up with her, he didn't know. As far as he recalled, he's only the observer. And the room is not that wide so entrapment is quite possible. And Ken is quite gifted with speed and stealth, especially with their job.

Then again, he guessed that it has got to do with what he saw right now, as the girl in mere seconds could just leap in one side to another as if already anticipating Ken's every move.

"Waahhh!"

But why she'd scream that so-shocked-to-fright scream of hers whenever she could brush or meet up with the phone, the answering machine, or that life-sized robot Omi loved so much to add to the room's interior, he is clueless. He sensed the girl has developed a sense of outright fear to them.

Then there is Yohji, of course, who he had to also observe. This time he could already guess parts of the scene. Yohji tripping over some seats and tables running for his dear life as the girl tried to catch him and bonk him with that baseball bat of Ken's, which would surprisingly always have perfect aim on Yohji's head, if only the latter weren't that gifted in evading.

While Ken is trying to catch the girl on time to prevent damage and, also, to calm her. The girl is trying to catch and escape at the same time, all the while screaming in fright at meeting the answering machine and that robot. Yohji is also trying to catch the baseball bat which is so carelessly flailing at her arms right to his skull to prevent catastrophe.

Where on earth did she find that bat? As far as they could remember, Ken had been looking for that for such a long time.

Oh, and there's Omi, dead on the floor near the entrance of his previous room, slowly waking up, as the girl also once in a while try to drag him out of the mess and wake him. And Yohji is trying to make use of the opportunity as he made a go for the bat. But Ken, who is also on the same thought, made a go for it, too, and finally ended with the two of them disgracing themselves as they crash into each other and unfortunately only capture thin air. It seems that the girl is quite too fast for them.

"Otaru, please wake—(_Swish_!)Let go!—(_Bang_!)Come here you—!"

"Miss, please—!"

Trip.

"Wait that's—!"

Thud.

"Waaahhh!"

_Swish! Bang! Thud! Thud!_

Then they would go back to that same chase-evade-chase-evade cycle again. Yohji would try to defend himself, the girl would try to accuse him of what he could only guess as child abuse, Ken would forever be the hopeless and helpless shock-absorbing go-between and Omi will remain lifeless, unless someone would really take priority to his waking.

He concluded it all with one thought alone: a disgusting mess.

He needed to end this now or it never will be.

And true to his instincts, he sensed that while Yohji and Ken are trying to combine their forces and go against the girl, she all too agreeably sided with him as she ran straight to where he had been, all the while screaming.

And luckily, he, the ever passive one accepting it all, was the victor.

The girl would've slammed straight to his chest. Real hard. If he did not act before time and instead restrain her with both her hands.

Of all the chaotic, hysterical and frustrating chase, bantering and screams, it was cheapened by simply putting an end with it by two hands.

Two un-twitching, fine, calm hands. With no bats.

In less than ten seconds.

He heard the two guys breathing raggedly—and more harshly—behind them.

But he didn't notice that much nor care. He could only stare at the eyes. Her sea green eyes.

The eyes were a complete shock to him. The last time he gazed at them, they were so lifeless. But right now, her eyes were a maelstrom of limitless life, with strong hints of anger, fear, confusion, and finally, after looking at him, utter shock.

He had stopped the bat before it could reach his head out of complete impulse—or maybe from all the 'batting', reflex— in her part.

She expectedly shrieked. And tried to escape from his grasp.

No such luck. She should've known that he'd never let her go.

Unless Manx would finally settle all these.

Now, speaking of which—

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE! EXPLAIN!"

Oh. Right. She is punctual, after all.

And finally, true to his instincts, it was that voice again. He closed his eyes and silently sighed in frustration again as he expected the expected.

The bat was finally dropped by the trembling hand. He knew that the girl tried to scream but was stopped by the menacing aura of that voice.

He knew it. They all just knew it. It would be the death of them all and the start of another 'Manx Disaster'.


	6. Hope

VI:HOPE

He is finally fine, capable enough to logically answer the questions they all wish to let out. They looked at his unshaven and weak face full of worry. At one of his arms confined in a sling. At his whole physique to be assisted with crutches if ever he wishes to walk. At his gauzed left eye. It seems that at some point in his life, all his imposing aura had been left out.

They couldn't believe at the turn of events. It had turned out that one of their greatest nemeses is their only hope. The only link in finding their sister. And that he turned out to be _more _than willing to be a partner of the exchange.

So in these silent, still moments, the gang realized that this suddenly vulnerable aging man isn't that strong enemy they always had pains in the ass on before.

He had sensed the arrival of Cherry into his room with her light taps in the car floor. At the expectant and silent expressions of the other occupants scattered around him, he guessed they sensed her arrival, too.

They've been waiting for her to arrive. So they could finally move on with the business at hand.

Cherry is finally facing them all with a tremulous smile on her lips. Behind her is Doctor Lorelei. Both brought trays with medicine and food.

"Good day, Doctor Hess. For now, Miss Lorelei here will take care of you while I attend to this other young patient of ours."

With that, he glanced and slightly smiled at young Yumeji weakly mumbling incomprehensively in return.

The words she released were so clipped that they sounded fake. But he's not there to complain. He knew that adjustment is so long a process. His only way to ease it a bit is to become less of a burden and become more of a help.

After all, they were the one who saved his life.

"Thank you, Miss Cherry. Doctor Lorelei."

The doctor only silently nodded her assent and smiled while she knelt down beside him and fixed his daily dose of medicines. At the scene pressed before his eyes, he couldn't help but miss the girl when times like this happen. When nursing becomes a situation of his, he would instantly long for that Lime who would always be lively and happy when she tended to her patients, passing on this huge amount of life to them in the process. Seeing her in one day doing that nurse job of hers in some deserted place is already enough to know that she will always be as such.

And of, course, not counting those little nurse mending experiences he had experienced with her while she was still held captive. But now, those happy moments only gave him infinite sadness and longing for the daughter he wished he had.

Especially now that he realized that at some point of their escape, they indeed had led to their separate ways. Unintendedly.

His guilt could not be contained. He needed to tell them everything that he had done to the girl. They needed to know what he had planned before he has regained his conscience and soul. Now.

He firmly held the hand of Lorelei with his good one when the girl had tried to give him his spoonful.

"Doctor Lorelei, I…"

"You should drink this first so you could regain your strength. What you will say can wait. For now, what is more important is your health," she gently interrupted as she gently spooned down his medicine on his mouth.

He smiled his thanks to the young doctor guiltily. The doctor whom he had once been torturing with his mad experiments is sitting in front of him now, treating him to his recovery. He did not know how else to describe it but conscience and guilt, all taking heaps on a higher level.

They knew that he was together with their sister days ago. He wickedly abusing her, bringing her all the pain that she could have in a lifetime while he feast on her anguish, while he satisfied his drive for excellence, while he's going under and way lower and lower for his own selfish needs…

He remembered those moments very well. When he had taken opportunity on the little girl's despair and use it to satisfy his lust for a goal he had always wanted to accomplish. He had wanted to trounce the doctor's excellence—the same doctor who's tending to him now—that he was willing to go very far, even at the expense of the girl's life.

But guilt had overcome him. Guilt and the sense of all purity and trust the girl had given him. She would remind him of the daughter he never saw grow to a lovely woman. She would shower him with all the kindness she could give when they allowed her to be free so she could do it to them. They treated her as a specimen, an insect a slave…but she only answered them all with infinite compassion, joy, charm, kindness and life.

In the end, it was not he who has transformed her. It was she who had actually given him new life.

"_I can be your daughter! And you will also have my sisters as your daughters, too! And we will live in the forests where there will be a lot of hopping and running animals you call ponies and we'll ride on them! Then we'll visit Otaru and Lorelei—maybe even Hanagata still with them—and then we could assist them in the hospital Miss Lorelei so wished to build in some year's time—!"_

Pain. He had to end a part of this pain. A part of this unrest. He had to help them find Lime as soon as possible, before the others could catch up on her.

For he sure don't have all the strength and capabilities in the world to do it himself.

He is just a nobody. Nothing. But a mad doctor going against an innocent girl.

This realization puts him to shame.

He was brought up from his reveries when he heard the clink of the spoon being placed back in the bowl, signaling the end of his medication. He was then being served by Cherry's homemade bread and soup, still steaming in his delicious hunger-crazed delight.

"How much longer until we could finally ask him, Cherry?" Hanagata suddenly asked impatiently.

"Goodness, Hanagata. The doctor just woke up. Won't you just let him eat first? Why not look after your younger brother instead?"

Cherry finally turned her glance to him, her glance compassionate but still wary.

"Please forgive him for his lack of propriety. He should've been the most well-bred in here for he indeed is the richest and educated but—" Cherry gave him an apologetic wink and a sly smirk before continuing in her tirade "—well, things aren't always what they seem to be."

"You could've just at least given my state a little credit, Cherry. Given our previous situation, one couldn't help but be hungry for any information especially when you deeply care for the person involved."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Bloodberry brushed him off and his impending lengthy public declarations of Lime worship. His eerie ways does give her a lot of goose bumps.

"I got anxious!"

"That's because that's the only thing left that you can do for now. You have already eaten, after all, unlike the others."

"Well, that's what we call well-bred," Cherry flourished with another sly smile, before she finally stood up and together with Lorelei left their bedridden visitors to eat.

For two times in merely twenty seconds, he was shocked out of his wits. If it were months ago, he wouldn't be experiencing this array of sly smiles and insulting overtures in their company at all. In fact, all they'd do is definitely only stare hard at each other.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Brush. Brush. Brush. Brush. Brush.

The drumming of her fingernails against the polished wood table glided with Lime's foot's anxious slide against each other. They were all sitting in the four-seated dining table with Manx at the head, looking intimidating with that fake sweet smile _ripped _from her lips, as nerves start to throb in her delicate forehead all the while strumming her fingers in random rhythm, one leg above the other. Her eyes never left the girl across her. If you wish to know what she'd been feeling, all you have to do is listen to her beats.

Right now her tempo has just accelerated with two more hysterical iotas.

Lime was situated right in front of her, squirming in her seat. Looking up at her with that sheepish, anxious and quite fearful-for-the-death-of-her smile and looking down again when she'd come across Aya's glare, who chose to stand up and lean against the wall behind Manx and directly face her, too. She unnecessary felt so uneasy and guilty when she looked at him. Well, she admitted, what happened a while ago was quite something out of the ordinary but being met with the kind of circumstance she's been having…

Okay, okay, perhaps she's been too biased with herself. What happened was actually a _catastrophe_ these complete strangers would never ever wish to have.

While bowing down, she peeked at the lad she had finally known as Omi—and not, yes, Otaru—who chose to pull another stool so he could sit near her, with an ice bag in hand, quietly tending to his own bulges.

She peeked more to see Yohji who was on the left side of Manx and Ken who was on the right. They both looked worn out and, in Yohji's case, too old for their ages. Uh-oh, with that exasperated, trying-to-be-patient look of his, she knew that she had to tread very carefully and she will definitely be in deep, deep trouble.

In an instant she felt like she's getting smaller and smaller that any of them could just simply pick her up with two of his fingers—or for a more sophisticated accent, some chopsticks—and eat her fair and square.

It's like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea, the way she's feeling right now.

So in a moment of anxious, uncomfortable, tense, and uneasy hysteria she finally took to her fingers as she twiddled on them, finger one on left meeting with finger five on right. Then finger one on right with finger four on left. Then finger five on left with finger five on right…one on left with three on right…then three on right with three on left…hmmm…what else…

Why, well, uhh, this is actually fun.

"Ahem," was Manx's sudden interruption of Lime's self-humiliation when she noticed that the gal finally took the initiative to bring herself to the land of foolish daydreaming. Ach. Trouble. The habits of girls their age are really quite annoying. Well, of course, she happened to be a girl too but she was way too promiscuous for this foolishness even then.

So as the beat on Manx's fingers finally reached its ending, Lime altogether dropped her fingers on her sides and stood rigidly erect it was so painful and downright squeamish to see.

"So…?" was all Manx could say while she gestured to emphasize her thoughts.

Lime just simply looked at her gesture like that with that blank look of hers, waiting for her to continue.

"So…?" Manx tried again, two nerves now evident in her forehead as she dramatically swayed her head and gave her eyes the best expression she could give and gestured to again get her point across. And Lime just once again leaned a little hesitantly closer and widened her eyes more as she waited for Manx to continue again. Still not comprehending that she had to start her explaining already.

Three nerves pumping. Red lips twitching in eruption. This girl is simply not making their situation much, much easier. Damn her.

She tried again.

"So _sweetie_ you're again…?"

"Lime…ma'am." The voice was trembling and anxious.

"Lime…?"

"Yes, Lime."

"No, what I mean is Lime…"

"Yes, it's Lime."

"Yes, we know that, little one. But what I mean is you're Lime…?"

Is this woman even listening to her at all? "Yes, Lime."

"So just Lime? I mean no Lime Hoshino or something?"

The girl even has the gall to look confused at her very simple question. Four nerves. Manx is about to explode.

"Lime, do you even have a last name?"

Now, the girl really looked so out of the blue.

"Last name?"

"Yes, last name."

"What last name?"

"That's _exactly_ what I've been asking from you!"

Now all of them looked at her with that funny expression on their faces that she only felt more and more dread in her heart. Heaven help her, but she really doesn't know what a last name is!

The girl looked that she's about to cry over something that she felt like her fault. This is not going to be really easy on her. Control. Control. Just control.

"So…you're telling me that your name's simply Lime. No last name or anything. Just Lime…Lime. Right?"

Lime innocently nodded her ascent, biting her lower lip. Squirming in her seat.

Great. That's just great. So here comes a girl who has a dubious identity, dubious situation and unclear background, who came along to their place with nothing but an _agent_-designed bodysuit and boots in a wounded, trouble-evoking state and who downright introduces herself with _only_ a first name like what all spies technically do.

This is just great. Very great.

Is this girl creating her own prison cell or what? A girl still drugged? A conspiracy plot against them that had gone amok?

Five nerves. "So Lime…do you recognize any one of us here?"

That question sorta surprised her a bit, if her expression is to be judged. Then Aya expected as much in his entire silent dubious wrath, she shook her head. But she glanced sideways at Omi and smiled.

"Otaru…I do have mistaken him for Otaru!"

Omi simply blushed while Yohji couldn't control his snicker, even at the expense of Ken's and Manx's warning glares.

Aya simply focused at Lime, who had glanced back at him and smiled in a friendly manner. Like hell will he return _that_.

Manx disturbed her from her happy daydreaming state again. "And is Otaru your friend?"

She nodded again, a sweet sad smile on her lips, her eyes huge with sudden life at the very mention of such name.

"And I gather that this Otaru also has no last name like you?"

She innocently nodded and stared at Manx with eyes so open and truthful that Aya would only want to rip them out of her face.

So now here comes a girl who has a dubious identity, dubious situation and unclear background, who came along to their place with nothing but an _agent_-designed bodysuit and boots in a wounded, trouble-evoking state, who downright introduces herself with _only_ a first name and who allegedly lives with her friend Otaru in a _place_ where there are no last names…like what all spies technically are.

Oh, greater. Just, just greater.

"So…where exactly is this place where there are no last names? Where do you really live?"

The question surprised her a bit again. Then as if trying to remember, they observed her as her eyes took on a sudden change. It was of remembering, then of sadness.

"I live very far away," was all she could say in a very weak and sad voice.

Never mind that the girl was looking so honestly and terribly sad. As far as Aya was concerned, he continued to glare at her. He believed that she's still drugged. She may even have realized that her plan has gone amiss if her shock at seeing him a while ago is to be taken consideration to. But again, maybe she's that too drugged or too disoriented that she again blurted out another evasive answer. Another clue.

"I'm sure that you live very far away from here, Lime _dear_, but we won't be able to help you if you won't open up to us and tell us where you exactly lived."

That gave a turning-point change of expression from the girl. Her eyes had widened in a grateful surprise.

"You'll help me…go back home?"

_Trapped! Yes!_ Manx's voice was painfully and eerily sweet and soft as her hands reached out to touch hers. They were very cold, and very soft.

"Yes,dear we'll help you--"

But when she turnedher hands around though, she, along with the others, had seen the sharp burns on her wrists, looking old and fresh altogether.

The realization hit them hard. Omi even have to gasp.

"I wasn't able to…see those…" was all he could stutter, making Lime even more anxious as she tried to pull her hand away.

Her face was a mixture of shock and silly. She unsuccessfullytried to change the subject.

"Ah...eh...ehehehe..."

They could tell that she was shocked that they have taken interest in those, too. Like she has also just remembered them, too. Like she had been caught unguarded as she had just offered her hand for their scrutiny. She pulled harder again. But Manx would not allow her as she traced the burns on her wrists. Her expression a while ago which was like of an irritated suspicious woman has her eyes narrowed as she studied the burns.

They looked fresh, like she has just experienced them just recently. And they looked old, like she has endured this pain for a very long time already. A very long time.

Now this is exactly not the kind of angle that she expected to focus on. Suddenly everything has changed to a new light.

"Who did this to you?" Ken was the first to have asked.

They looked at the girl, lips trembling, trying to control the sudden onslaught of emotions as she bit her lower lip again. Like they could be hidden in those eyes of hers that all suggested fear and, yes, suspicion. She violently shook her head as she more desperately took her hand away.

They might as well get straight to the point now.

"Lime, tell us, who did this to you? Why are you burned like this? Where did you get this? How did you get this? We wanted to help, Lime."

But the girl only desperately shook her head as she hugged herself hard. They could see that she had just stifled a sob. Her eyes had widened to fearful saucers.

Goodness. They never expected that it was like this. Well, there is still the suspicion and all but…

But. Wounds on wrists meant captivity. And having seen that the burns aren't just produced from some rope wound, a very painful captivity.

"Lime, tell us. We wanted to help you. But we can't move on if you won't tell us who you're escaping from—" Lime's eyes went hesitant once again "—and why. We can't give you back to Otaru if you won't tell us what happened to you."

Due to the stifled sobs, her words came like a mumbled whisper.

"What?"

"You'll…help me?"

They nodded. All of them with the exception of one.

She hesitated once again.

"Lime. We should report this to the police. They really could help you."

Her eyes took on to that surprised gratitude again. Her eyes have been gradually pooled with tears. But just as suddenly, she shook her head again.

So they tried asking another tactic. Until Lime finally spoke.

"I don't…" stifled sobs.

"Yes, Lime?"

She stared at them again, and they all again were amazed at those eyes which looked so scared and uncertain.

"Please, you could tell us. You could trust us."

"But I don't…"

"You don't…what?"

"I…"

"What?"

She finally cried and sobbed.

"Please help me! I don't remember! I don't remember what happened to me! Help me please!"

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

His cup had shattered in such vehemence the moment he had dropped it in his fury while he banged his fists in the table, in front of the calm doctor who's simply taking all of them in.

"Your team did _WHAT_!"

For a while Hanagata wanted to kill this doctor then and there. How dare he…how dare he do it…his sweet Lime…his sweet, innocent Lime to experience such hell…

But Bloodberry and Otaru were another matter as the former violently turned up the table while the latter grabbed the doctor by his collar, his fingers trembling with anger. "How dare you stupid asshole! I'll kill you—!"

"Enough of this! Kill him and we'll never see Lime again!" Cherry finally erupted, stopping them all. Indeed, Otaru, with much coaxing from Lorelei, has gradually loosened his grip on the still calm doctor while Tiger had Hanagata controlled and have him at bay.

They all stopped, but all of them, including Cherry, glared at him so hard.

He deserved this after all.

"Now…" Cherry has continued still in her controlled voice. "Continue telling us on what exactly happened."

He even have to sigh once again."We drugged her so we could explore inside her subconscious, electrocuted her so we could easily persuade her to give up her maiden chip. We treated her as a slave, not giving her any food so she would follow us, tried to make her really angry so we could again see the results but all she did was cry. She had never gone mad."

He heard Hanagata's silent growl once again.

"I've seen her alone one day in that deserted place, crying. I overheard her desperately asking that she'd be turned to a human girl. I never knew why but I had always wanted to know the secret behind Doctor Lorelei's maiden chips so I snatched the chance."

A gradually released sigh from the woman doctor.

"We tried everything in her,everything. Just that we could get the chip from her. No success. We experimented on her body, but we couldn't find it anywhere. We tried opening her brain, nothing. We electrocuted her countless times so we could track the electrically conducting chip on her but we never had a chance. We forced her to give it to us, but even she doesn't even know where it is. We abused her, made her a slave, let her tend our wounds, make her angry in hopes that we could see it...I even just willed that she'd just give up but her kindness only grew on me. She asked me..." his voice had trembled then.

"Continue," was the tart command. No more compassion whatsoever.

"She asked me why I was doing this...and I was finally left on the dark. I remembered my daughter..."

"We don't care about your daughter, Doctor Hess. We wanted to know what happened to my sister."

"I allowed her to escape all of it. In the middle of the experiment, I've finally found out the secret behind the maiden chip--" he saw the lady doctor gasp "--but not knowing the reasons why she kept it I decided to keep it to myself, too. I never let the team know it so I sabotaged our own project by using a simple plot such as apower surge. I druggedLime so she could forget everything that happened but in the middle of the process,our partner team--"

"Partner team?"

He sighed once again.

"The project was a product of two minds. A powerful underground corporation and myself. When I simultaneously electrocuted and drugged Lime for the last time, they've foundus out so theprocess wasn't finished. We tried to escape but they've caught us so I let her leave with the jet I prepared while I stayed to stop them. Inever knew what happened to her eversince. But I do know one thing."

A few controlled sighs of complete wrath.

"And that is...?"

"Lime is somewhere in the east of Japan. I automatically directed it there."

For a few tense moments, nobody talked. Cherry was the first to stand up.

"I...I'm sorry."

"Tomorrow we are positive that we'd reach the rural towns of Japan. Once we see a hospital we'll leave you there."

The wordsleft no room for compassion.They werecold and desolate. And rude. He sighed and looked apologetically at the lady doctor who was still in shock. He shook his head in apology.

"She told me the reason why she wanted to become a human being, Lorelei. She told me why."

The lady doctor was speechless, looking at him.

He glanced back at Otaru,perhaps not expecting what to expect.

"She wanted to be a human being so she will be completely loved. I don't know your reason Lorelei, but don't you think it's unfair that you don't tell it to them?"

And with that he stood up, and left the wrathfully accusing group in the shadows, leaving Lorelei to think and balk.


	7. Help

VII:HELP

"She either has short-term amnesia or she lies very convincingly."

They were seated once again in another table, though this time, they were in a secret room secluded somewhere under the flower shop. Without any other option left, they doused the girl with sedatives just so they could protect themselves. They are concerned about the girl but there are just more important matters which are needed to be addressed urgently.

"But now. Forget about the girl or about anything else that has happened before this. Here's the address. You know pretty well who you're looking for and what you'll do about that since you were briefed before."

And she made a way for the door, about to leave the room. "And yes, before you could say anything else, I'll have her investigated and examined. For now, I suggest we'll have her trapped here in this place until we'd know where she is…and if she's a spy, who she's working for and why."

There is no more need for words. They left as soon as they heard the door slam.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It's not that he could not forget. He just chose not to.

All he'd have to do is think about deception and he'd fall into a fit of cold, silent rage. And it is something which he could very well control.

The name is Shuichi Emishi. Business tycoon. Nephew of the fifth richest person in Japan. Formerly connected to Takatori before. Into smuggling drugs. Recently getting into stealing orphaned young ladies so he could smuggle them, too. Some he personally chose into utmost care as his _concubines_.

He has an oblivious wife. No kids. He had beaten his wife so badly through the years that she will never be capable to bear one.

And now here he is, in a mansion with one of his _concubines_ in bed while his wife is freshly beaten and seated beside them in an ornate chair, naked and disgustingly humiliated by being forced to watch and enjoy the show. She was promised to be given the slot for the second round.

In the basement, as reported, ten girls are still trapped and had not eaten for three days in a row.

Just like his sister before.

There are guards and hired assassins situated in every corner of the mansion. The house is expected to be automatic, very well taken cared of by the fastest technology electricity could only provide.

So is their luck. Omi has just started to get inside and hack through their power supply while Ken and Yohji started to get into some action. They always have the uncanny habit to serve the lead role to his hands. Like he wanted it so much.

It only took a matter of minutes, and a small deal of cuts and bruises, and it was silently over. There was nothing else more to perturb the misleading serenity but petrified screams by the people caught in their dirty act.

One scream was of shock to see death plainly presented in her eyes. Whether it was also a scream of thanksgiving, he will not cease to dispense with.

The second scream was of anguish from being salvaged so out of tune and out of proper propensities.

While the last one was shamelessly begging for his life, even offering as much enough information that could move them further and exterminate his whole syndicate just that his life will be spared. But up to no avail.

And as long as the Abyssinian stays and would determine your fate, nothing will be left heeded or heard.

They left the mansion just as the police had come. They left as silent as their shadows had appeared in this place. They have a new name to investigate. A new name to pay judgment to.

The next name is Shiromi Toei.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She knew it. She even felt it in her bones and in the flutter of her lashes the moment she opened her eyes and woke up for God knows how many times already. She knew that she's not in the best of situations to complain. But that doesn't mean that she'd wake up in the best of spirits, either.

Let's see. For almost two nights of her stay in this unknown world that could also possibly eat her alive, she was mostly asleep. She'd sure wake up, be happy for some time, then wonder when she feels like she is already not caught up in the moment, be surprised, shriek, run away, lose energy, then just recently, get drugged so she could sleep once again.

Then she'd wake up and do the same humiliating routine all over again. Best of spirits, indeed.

Especially now that she'd wake up in the middle of the night realizing that her stomach is grumbling to death because she so easily disposed her duties to treat it right, which is, to feed it with the appropriate nutrients and in the appropriate of times. Especially after such a very long time of helpless hibernation.

That could very well explain her loss of spirits, loss of energy, and then she fervently hoped, her loss of memory.

Which then goes back to her real present state of affairs. Why is she sleeping in this couch?

She heard the flipping of the pages. And the grumbling of her stomach, which she now has discovered, has increased to another octave. It belched in waves and growled its disgust in complete mortification.

God, she needed to eat now. She's more than famished. She'd surely starve to death if she couldn't find any edible food fast enough.

Waking up very hungry is surely not a passable issue for the best of spirits.

"So, you're awake."

Goodness, she's starting to get annoyed by this very routinary greeting.

The flipping of the pages stopped, and she gradually rose up and met the redhead again sitting comfortably in a sofa. Beside her is a side table. With its affable uses, of course. In the table was a tray—a sizable tray—containing a sizable amount of food. Many kinds of food. At the sight of the graces, her mouth instantly watered and her stomach has roiled in merry pain as it finally erupted its impatience.

And it does not go unheard by Manx.

"And I can see that you're hungry…"

"Ah…hehe…hai," was her only weak reply.

She continued to gawk at the tray of food as if nothing else existed but the two of them. Finally, Manx took pity on her deplorable state and offered the tray. When it reached to her lap, Lime almost jumped to it as she started to feed herself. Well, almost. Chopsticks. She remembered having a traumatic eating not-getting-full experience with chopsticks. She's hungry. Very hungry. Never mind. No soup in the menu. Quite good.

She started feeding herself with her bare hands. Manx was instantly forgotten as she savored on every bite, every nibble as she zoomed in and focused on filling up her stomach fast enough without choking to death in the process.

"Well…I guess our previous meeting hasn't given us much on the introductions. My name is—" she couldn't decide right away if she'd tell her her name "—Manx." It's _still_ a codename anyway.

Lime didn't seem to pay any attention. So enamored was she on her food. Well, she looked like she hasn't heard a thing at all. She was done with her first plate.

A nerve warningly twitching in her forehead. "Anyway, I would just like to apologize for our previous actions. We decided to stabilize you for you seem to be in a state of hysterics—"

She really should shut up right now and not waste her breath. It obviously would just end up in vain. But it's better than not doing anything at all. Lime was done with her second plate.

"You actually have some short-term amnesia. Probably from the shock of the previous days you'd experienced. But the good news about that is that it would only just take a matter of days and weeks and once you'll have your memory back, you'll be as good as new."

Third plate is already up, and she still doesn't look like she has thought of ever stopping.

Four warning nerves twitching. "For now, we'll have some cases investigated just in case they could get something similar as yours. Then maybe we could hopefully take a lead then—"

Five nerves. Fourth plate almost up. And Manx could only stare at her for a loss of words.

Until the magical sound of some footsteps were heard down under her floor, signaling the hunters' arrival.

But not without also experiencing the impact of a full-fledged burp of the lass beside her.

Well, guess all's well that ends well, right?

Now she only has to think of a way to divert her from other things while she meets the assassins…

She gaped back at the girl who is smilingly stroking her stomach in satisfaction. Then she looked at her haggard face, her almost-worn boots, her slightly grimed bodysuit…

Then she imagined a nice and warm—well, maybe hot is more like it—well, hot bath. A nice warm shower bath—or maybe, a 'bath tub' hot bath— that would wash all those grime away and soothe your aching muscles, all the while replacing a rose scent to your once dirty odor…

A light bulb has been excitedly turned on. She knew exactly how to practically and successfully divert Lime's attention from her mission.

"Oh, Lime…" she crooned.

Looks like the gal, after eating her four plates, has finally got the eardrums and the ability to listen. She looked at Manx expectantly.

"You look haggard, _my dear_. Would you like to have a nice warm bath to soothe and cleanse you? You look like you _badly _need it."

Aha. Girls and their vanity. Jackpot. The rounded, excited eyes were more than a giveaway.

"You mean there are nearby hot springs around here?" she looked glazed from so much happiness. So this is how she looks like when she'd finally eaten.

Oops. Maybe she overreacted.

"No, Lime…what we actually have is a—"

"Doesn'tmatterwhere'sitlocatedI'mgonnatakeitweeeeeeh!"

And she finally stood up and jumped in front of Manx, ready for some bath-taking action.

"Oh, you'd hardly miss it…it's on that direction—"

She felt, rather than saw, Lime clasp her hard she could barely breathe. She heard her mumble her thanks and run away to that certain door. Then the sound of a door banging. Then the shower running. Then some Lime singing. Well, she actually had a very nice voice…

She really shouldn't be wasting her breath as far as this girl is concerned. Feeling satisfied with her task but not that much contented that she wasn't that much given much attention, she went down to that place anyway. Where they are waiting.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Well?"

"He left us another name. Shiromi Toei."

They heard her sharp intake of breath. "That's a big one. How are the girls?"

"They are taken into custody by the police. It might take a few weeks more before they could return to where they once were."

Who are they kidding? It would take forever before you could forget a kind of event like this.

"And what did you get from them?"

"The plot's tricky. They were taken in different manners. Looks like they really are strategic planners. We couldn't find a common pattern among them. Even the girls look so different from each other besides that they are orphans. One of them was kidnapped; the other was recruited by a modeling agency—"

Another sharp intake of breath. "I'll check on that."

"—the other alleged that she was first left alone by her date—"

"Why not give me all of the information on a clean sheet tomorrow. I'll also do a lead on Toei."

"There's no need. Emishi's wife already told us all that we needed to know."

"His wife? Where is she right now?"

"She just admitted herself into the mental hospital."

"And what did she say?"

"Toei is the Third Anchor."

Another gasp. "He'd given us that far?"

"Apparently Emishi already plans to break away from the syndicate and make his own group. He thinks he is that influential enough with his ten special girls. Why he thinks so, only Emishi knows."

"And where is this Toei?"

"Up in that Fuji mountain. With his favorite girl. He plans to stay there for two weeks, or at least, that's what the wife said. She claimed that Emishi is supposed to have a meeting before Toei leaves in that mountain."

"Something was up Emishi's sleeve. And Toei knows it. I'll have that information double-checked. Meanwhile, also try to check the news and the papers if there is anything amiss. And Aya?"

The latter merely and boringly blinked at the mention of his name.

"Have that wound checked and healed immediately. And also for the others. You don't want to end up entirely awake for the whole day trying to explain those unexpected gash to our visitor, do you?"

At the mention of Lime, Omi finally looked up. "Has she eaten her dinner already?"

"Yes, and I made her take her bath while I got down here. And you better prepare something to dress her up. And I'll also check on her profile, too, if ever we could find any. I'll call you when I have them all."

And with that, she again closed the door without any preamble, signaling the end of their meeting.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The first thing that greeted them as they entered the hall was the sweet singing of the girl in the bathroom.

Well, she actually had a nice voice to begin with…

They easily scrambled to gather the things that she needed to have her properly clothed…well, they were mostly Aya's clothing which was left in his previous room, much to the man's disgust and disgruntled refusal.

"Well, you have other suggestions than have her stark naked in front of us?" was only Yohji's pragmatic query, leaving Aya with no choice but to obey. But not without going away first.

"I'm going home."

"Oh no, you won't. You're as much involved here as the three of us combined. And _Lady_ Manx did tell you to tend to your wounds first."

"I can tend to them myself," he growled.

"Tend what?"

They were more than stunned when they heard that soft inquiry from that soft-spoken girl. Well, being struck by lightning is more than like it. In a more terrifying manner to add up for more flavor.

Wasn't she just taking her bath a while ago?

The three of them instantly paled as they gulped for some air. The other remained unmoved, except for that glowing angry spark in his eyes and the trembling hand that recently covered his cut left shoulder. Yet none of them wished to confront and face the girl first for some complete, obvious, terrifying reasons.

Finally after some complete lengthy and annoying eye-prodding from Yohji, Omi was the first who spoke out of the urgency in the matter. They heard her go closer to them as she took more steps towards them. Dangerously closer.

Inhale. "O—oh—A—Aah—Lime—y-you can h-have—some f-fresh—c-clothing from the r-room—you just o-occupied—" Exhale.

"Fresh clothing?" soft inquiry.

"Y-you—r-really—sh-should wear—"

"But tend what again?"

Gosh. Does this girl won't stop until she would be answered.

"B-but you—"

"What?"

_Big_ inhale. "I-I mean y-you should w-wear—I mean—w-wearing—"

"Oh…sorry…I just got this from the bathroom and since it seems to fit…the miss did tell me that it's okay…it's okay, right?" the voice was wary, fearful for another scolding.

_Big _exhale. Now Yohji tried for a cheerful, soothing voice.

"Oh, so you've found some clothing for you?"

"I…really…hope it's okay. I mean, I can't find anything else—"

They still were not looking at her. They knew she was barefoot, and five steps closer.

"And what have you found?"

_Enormous_ inhale.

"Oh, this? It's in the bathroom. It's white and long-sleeved and it reaches below my knees—"

_Enormous _exhale. They all turned around back at her. Only to enormously inhale once again.

She was wearing an oversized long-sleeved sweats Ken must have hastily left in the bathroom a while ago. The sweater did reach below her knees, her sleeves were long enough that even when already hunched up her fingers were still covered, and her hair was wet and was hastily tied in a bun using some cloth she must have gotten from somewhere. Her feet were barefoot and were twiddling in their own idly. With her already scrubbed clean like that, her eyes had glowed into an energy so intense. She was carrying her own lump of dirty clothing. She looked still tired but clean and refreshed and happy. Though a little curious. One thing's for sure. She didn't look like the hysterically lost kid a while ago.

She was looking at them with innocent curiosity that they have forgotten where they once were and how they once looked. Only then did they realize their mistake when they saw the change on the expression of her eyes as she carefully scrutinized each one of them.

"I was a little wondering why you were gone when I woke up—wait—my gosh! Is that a wound over there?"

And as her lump of dirty clothing was forgotten when she dropped it on the nearby table, she hurriedly went closer to Aya to closely inspect the damage on his left shoulder. An action which he all too willingly evaded as he turned his shoulder sideways to stay away from her hands, his eyes warning her not to move any closer.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Her sleep was not a restful one, so she just gave up and completely opened her eyes. Her heart was full of worry and dread, and she couldn't fight the words which would always haunt her for hours on end.

"_I knew why she wished it…don't you think it's unfair…?"_

She rolled on the other side of her makeshift futon as if escaping from some unseen force she couldn't bear face yet. This is always the time of the day which would always frighten her for these are the moments which would force her to think of her past, to regret on it, and to settle on the world of 'what-ifs'. These are the moments when cognitive dissonance comes and she wishes to ease the tension by balance, by assuring herself that she is left with no choice at that moment but to choose that path. Yes, she could have prided on her secret, on her scientific discovery, but she also knew the other side of the spectrum, the world who hungered for power and who knew how to abuse these powers for their own selfish satisfaction. This she could not risk. She loved them so much to risk it. She had to protect them and this is the only way she knows how to do it. Knowing the truth would only break them a lot.

And she knew that she will also be condemned for what she had done.

She gazed at the middle-aged doctor who refused to sleep as he crouched on his knees and leaned on his back against the wall. A few hours from now and he would be rudely banished by her co-troop members. He also knew it. he also knew why and he most knew that he deserved it.

It was Otaru who had fought _hardest_ for it. With Bloodberry and Hanagata for support. In the private meeting they had, the three had strongly insisted that they drop the doctor in the very first town that they'd reach as soon as possible. Cherry, the calmer one, and she herself, the more lenient one, objected to the fact that the doctor has not completely healed yet and that he may still be able to help them. But the three were more than strong-willed to fight for their cause. In the end, the group had come to a compromise that they drop the doctor in the very first town in the east where a hospital, or any clinic, could be found just so that they could also have Yumeji, still bedridden, checked.

This is the situation she feared the most.

It's not much about the truth she kept which Doctor Hess has found out, nor about the results of their meeting, nor about the bedridden and worsening state of Yumeji. She was sure that worries aside, all will be well. It's her relationship she's worried about, she's guilty of, she's insecure to.

When she saw and heard Otaru fought that hard for Lime, she knew better than to feel the pang at not being supported, how logical she may be. But she still felt the pang at not being supported. And she still felt the little thread of dread at seeing Otaru act like that purely not from logic, but from his emotions.

It's the worst thing she could have experienced, not knowing if the one she had loved have fought for someone either from guilt, from pure friendship, or worst, from true love.

Who is she, anyway? Yes, she's Lorelei, the lady Otaru so proclaimed he had learned to love. And there's no doubt on earth that she had loved him just as longer and just as much. He was finally there, and she had been waiting for so long. They of course knew about the marionettes and their possible reaction, their tendencies towards jealousy. They had gradually worked their way into them, breaking all the angry barriers until they have finally understood and accepted.

But Lime was different. Instead of being angry, she chose to pretend she knew nothing. It both relieved and disturbed her. And finally worried her. Especially after seeing Otaru waver a bit as he guiltily looked at Lime who desperately pretended that everything's all right, and that nothing has changed at all. And it finally affected him more when Lime just suddenly disappeared two days after that.

And now, after seeing Otaru react that way after Doctor Hess's confession, she couldn't stop her heart but get scared and insecure. She wondered on what might have happened if Lime had been angry instead of being kind, if she was human instead of being a marionette. She thought about her case, her fear of losing Otaru, and the factual, the truthful possibilities. Would he still have loved her? Who is heavier: her or Lime?

The question took her wide awake the whole time.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She was enjoying the raindrops sliding from the flower shop doors and windows. A few hours more, sunlight will cast them all with brightness, but right now she was thinking of something else.

They had a long night and day. The three had finally decided to sleep when they couldn't get her to do the same. So here she was, staring hard at the flowers as she readied herself for a contemplative mood.

Being once instilled in her the importance of healing wounds right away, she was a little shocked and peeved at the wounded man's reaction when he clearly refused her offer to help, but she stayed where she was, still inspecting the wound.

In the end, she realized that that moment of leniency had cost her when the man nonchalantly left them with nothing but a simple "I'm going home."

Nevertheless, that didn't stop her will to heal that wound of his, or even try to alleviate it. She always has a certain spot for wounds. She would always want them to be healed right away. And thus, here she is, looking at a flower like seeing it for the very first time.

The flower has suddenly become a thing for fascination to Lime. Looking at the flower closely reminded her of her sister Cherry as she told her of the healing powers the flower could offer. She also remembered the nurse who assured what her sister had said, and that this information is just so rarely shared that not all people knew it.

It quite worried her a bit that she could remember very clearly who she is, who the people she loved are and where she usually lived and yet she could never plainly—not even a single image—remember what had happened to her the few weeks. Why she was wounded and why she had ended in here with these people, she could never guess. She would try to squeeze everything out in her head but doing it only caused her a great deal of headaches and if ever she'd saw something, it would just be so foggy it's impossible to decipher.

But now, she was grateful that at least, she had not forgotten who she was, for that would be the worst thing that could happen to her. She was also very grateful that she was being saved by these kind people, even offering her free food, clothing and shelter when all she did was gave them a lot of headaches and tried to heal on her memory wounds.

So she had to do something in return for all that kindness, too. She knew that with her most important details still remembered, she could very well find for ways to be able to go home, but she just has to pay her debt to them first before she could leave. Their kindness, hospitality and generosity were just too much to be just simply accepted. She must find a way to be able to pay them back.

And looking brightly at the flower, she just knew how to first start it. Getting ecstatic at the plan she had just made, she rushed forth to the kitchen as she prepared for the materials that would help her give them her first offer of thanks.

And it's not that she couldn't understand that sooner or later she will be suspected or even scolded by her self-acclaimed helpful plans.

She just chose not to.


	8. Suspicion

VII:SUSPICION

He had guessed that since they got a late retiring for the previous hours, they would also have a late start for the flower shop. But he never realized that they were going to be this _early_.

He usually had to open the flower shop for most of the times, _most_ _especially_ when they have just been into a mission ending up very late. But the door was already welcomingly open when he walked to the shop's direction. The people were already inside, buying. By the looks of it, the flower shop had been starting off well without him there for the second time.

Well, almost. Especially when he realized that the girls looked subdued, perhaps a little disappointed whenever they went out of the place, and not have the usual "I-must-have-been-to-Nirvana" crazed look on them. He also noticed that aside from girls, the shop seemed to have a greater deal number of male _customers- male customers?-_ lurking around the place. Well, even greater in population than the girls.

And more noteworthy is the fact that it is _this_ greater majority who had now been wearing the "I-must-have-been-to-Nirvana" crazed look.

He hoped that he had only suspected the worst.

He finally reached the place and opened the door—much to the guys' jealous disgust (he has no idea why yet) and the girl's regenerating worshipping aura.

"Oh, AYA-SAMA! We thought you wouldn't come! This new lady helper of yours told us that—"

What?

New? Helper? Lady helper?

He need not guess who it is. He heard _her_ overjoyed answer to his most dreaded question.

"Ha-O! Welcome to the flower shop! My name's Lime! What can I do for you?"

Oh, hell. He knew what a coming headache feels like. A big splintering headache.

And before he could voice out his cries of outrage—like he would ever possibly do that—a new hound of worshipping girls finally made their way to him, simply making his life more miserable. Especially that they seem to have taken more liking to his slightly bandaged shoulder.

"Aya-sama!"

Louder.

"AYA-SAMA!"

"You were hurt again, my Aya-sama!"

He desperately tried to look for the girl as he silently listed their orders. The girl was also equally busy, being surrounded by her fan-guys herself. How she had managed to do that in just a matter of seconds, minutes, and maybe, hours, he could never guess.

Hell. Seems like he would be able to only talk to her about this later.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

He had to tolerate her presence when the customers had finally died down and she was only giving the final customer's change. He observed her as she happily counted the money as she placed them on the customer's palm while the customer looked dazed and awed by her virility. He didn't know at first why they looked so dazed at her. Whenever he met her eyes, all he could see is a crimson shade of red. For him, she looked nothing but a sleuth, with fangs concealed. She may look so cheerful and innocent with _his_ apron and gloves on, but who knows what might come out of the cracks from that plaster angel face of hers.

Disgusting. He looked away lest he'd be 'encourages' to think of more evil thoughts.

"Bye-bye! Thank you again for coming and I hope to see you soon!"

And after that, a few silent moments swept them afterwards.

He was not looking at her direction as he leaned on the wall, so he was a little surprised when a little cash box was gently shoved against him. He had unconsciously but rigidly accepted it, still not looking at her, keeping his cold, uncaring resolve to never ever get involved with her in any way.

"Ha-O!"

No response at all. If he would have cared to glance at her, he would have seen her bright smile of greeting.

Then he would have also known what had interested her to her scrutiny the next.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.

And if he would have cared to sense anything at all, he would have noticed _earlier_ on time that the girl—he knew she's Lime but he chose never to call her name—had been gently inspecting his left shoulder.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.

He looked down at his other side only to realize that her hair, which was inches closer to his nose, smelled of roses.

She was leaning forward, toes tipped slightly upward, as she poked on his wound some more. One of them came out quite stronger that he had flinched.

At the reaction, her head flew upward and he was forced to stare back at those innocent, wondering and round sea green eyes that questioningly looked at him as she poked on a little stronger. He flinched. She observed his reaction as she poked a little more stronger. He flinched again. She stopped her poking and she looked more worried.

"Your wound…" she silently whispered to herself.

And then after looking down as if thinking of something, he saw her hurry towards the dining hall, leaving him slightly agape, suddenly realizing what he had just allowed her to do to him.

He had kept his cold, uncaring resolve to never ever get involved with her in any way. But it didn't occur to him that by doing so he was only giving the lady more leeway to get one-sidedly involved with him in her little poking games.

Now why was he even tolerating this?

The fact that he had been unconsciously controlled in some way, and that he had allowed himself to be controlled, only gave him much uneasiness and a new wave of irritation. He hated the girl for what she has done. He hated himself for his sudden loss of consciousness and precaution.

Now why was he even tolerating this?

Oh, yes, he finally remembered. And he had wished to pursue it in any way he can.

The girl then hoppingly went back to the place as she brought a jar of some sticky substance with her. He could only look in much warning and much disgust in his eyes.

At the sight of his eyes, Lime had halted a bit for fear, but thinking more about her will to help even if she forced it, she defiantly walked on. Although she of course was already wary herself that the guy might be able to kill her with his dagger eyes. She had seen so much loathsome in them for her the very moment he opened the door but she also chose to forget it. But that didn't mean that she's not a little scared. Surprised that the man—she forgot his name, among the others—allowed her to poke him that far gave her a dreaded idea that something scary must be up his sleeve.

"Uh, hello again."

He remained unresponsive, still glaring at her.

She instantly looked down at the jar she held and babbled.

"I-saw-your-wounds-and-I-was-a-little-worried-so-I-made-this-for-you. Just-spread-it-on-your-cut-and-it-will-heal-in-just-a-matter-of-a-week. It's also fragrant; this salve actually came from white rose petals' extracts."

Still, no response. She heard his steps nearing her, but what she couldn't understand were his words.

"Impostor."

It was released with such venom that she had looked up and in just a manner of tragic seconds her burnt wrist was firmly—and painfully—choked by his strong right hand. She was not even given the chance to be shocked.

"What do you want, impostor? Who are you working for?"

The bottle of salve went unnoticed as it dropped to the ground and rolled.

Her eyes held the intensity of apprehension against his wrathful glower. The frail hands shivered against his firm grip. Her mouth was agape.

"Sleuth. Spy. Fake. How I _hate_ you."

She didn't look one bit like someone who's caught in the act of espionage or treason. She looked like someone who's trying to run for her life.

But that still didn't deter him from his main purpose at all. Deep inside, his mind is settled; he is as cold as the hardest snow. He won't be swayed by what he has set in his mind.

"I don't trust you. Not one bit. And don't even think that you'd have us all fooled. Your innocent little acts don't convince me at all, you two-faced fake."

She remained bereft, confused, and perhaps more hurt. Not ever wanting the opportunity to slip, he clenched his fist harder, tightening his hold on the girl's wrists, to the point where the burns were exactly found. He'll make it sure she'll get the message this time.

"And don't even think of carrying on what you have ever planned, because I am watching you. I don't pity infiltrators, girl. I'm sure you know what I mean."

Maybe from so much stress, or guilt, or fear, he wouldn't know. She can only shake her head incomprehensively. After all his threats, she still refused to listen. To accept that she'd been floored. He has finally lost all his patience on the girl. He released her yet held her in place with his fierce glare.

"I don't know who you are working for, but I'll soon find out—"

'_But…I'm not working for anybo—'_

"Meanwhile, feel at home as much as you still could. But you'll never be able to leave from my watchful eyes. Until you'll be able to prove your allegations, I'll never let you go."

And with that, he gave her a final glower and stiffly went out of the room.

Without slamming the door of the flower shop first.

For a few moments, she just stood there, expressionless. Her eyes went blank, blanker than ever before. She can't control her delicate hiccups or her shuddering.

She remained very still for hours. From the shock of it all.

It came gradually but with so much force, the sobs had convulsed her. Wracked her body into tiny bits. Wailed away her anguish.

She only wanted to help.

She only wanted to pay her debt.

Why?

Why?

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

He really didn't know what had gotten into him. Why he was so angry. It could be that what he always hated the most is to be someone to be played the fool.

It is not about his ego being crushed when the girl nonchalantly—and with so much innocence—had told the others she didn't recognize any of them. It's more about her silent teary allegations that she had forgotten everything that happened to her. It's about her being sided more by the others than the pure state of logic. Her emotions over their protection. He hated losing over to a woman, especially when so much is at stake, including their covers.

He hated girls doing all that piteous acts so that the others would have some mercy over them. And after all that innocence, you suddenly find them with fangs, sucking the very blood out of you.

For him, that girl is just one of that kind.

For now, even if she may not be guilty, he'll continue giving her the benefit of a doubt. He will continue watching her. Testing her. He won't be overcome by the sudden guilt that's eating his stomach as of this moment. She will remain tainted to his eyes.

Because if no one else will, he might as well be a willing part of her ever-increasing fan group. That, he didn't want to happen.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

She's closely sensing her now. Amidst the bowls of food, the fighting Hanagata (to kill Otaru) and Bloodberry (to save Otaru), the tipsy from being pulled to and fro Otaru, the smitten Tiger and Yumeji, and the silently smiling doctor Lorelei, Cherry sensed her youngest sister's presence. It was still faint, but it still was a huge leap from sensing nothing at all after Doctor Hess. She shouted her discovery.

"I found her! Guys, listen, I finally found Lime! Dr. Hess was not really lying after all!"

She really loved her part. She always was the one who could shut all of them up.

All at once, Otaru was forgotten as Hanagata rushed to meet Cherry, with so much hope in his eyes. Yumeji's eyes, on the other hand, were also alight with a certain silent joy. Tears almost brimmed his young and tired eyes from the hope of it all.

"Really? Really? You're sure, right?"

"Oh, yes! Oh, yes! My dear Cherry, I also sensed her, too!" Bloodberry crooned aloud a little more seductively for comfort.

She nodded her excitement, still not expecting what she's feeling. Oh, she knew it, this sense is definitely nobody else but Lime.

It was just a few hours ago when they had finally reached the eastern part of Japan. A few moments more to find a town with a suitable enough hospital where they could put Doctor Hess in and Yumeji for some check-up. A few expertly made conversations more from Lorelei so she could practice her profession in the hospital and treat the male doctor and Yumeji with their supply of medicines. A few expertly womanly coaxing from Bloodberry so the male canteen workers of the hospital would allow them to use their stove for some cooking. And a few more cooking tips from Cherry so they could finally have a decent breafast while sitting in a table...finally.

But all these joys were nothing compared to the tiniest glimmer of hope they held that Lime is just somewhere out there...

"Don't we think we should also inform Doctor Hess about this? What you might have sensed must also be the plane that she had used to be able to crash down on here," Lorelei gently precautioned.

The glimmer of hope instantly wavered, threatening to die out soon.

"If we're going to inform _that_ doctor, then it most certainly would not be me," Otaru roughly proclaimed, earning a rather troubled look from Lorelei. Cherry looked at Lorelei then at Otaru, then crossed her arms without saying a thing. She glared at Bloodberry, who only glared at her twice as much. She chanced a look at Hanagata who looked more than prepared to kill the male doctor in his silent wrath anytime soon. She looked at Tiger who only evasively looked the other way around. She tried inspecting herself if she could do it without getting angry at the doctor. It's hard, but she'd rather try anyway. And just when she started to talk it out, Lorelei stood up and talked softly, "I think I ought to do it."

Blink. Blink. Blink.

"I'm the more professional here when it comes to keeping our emotions in check. It's obvious all of you are still wrought up with your emotions--" she looked at Otaru "--and besides, I am a doctor as well. We could converse together with no problem at all," she assured them with her concise and gentle words.

"D-Doctor L-Lorelei, are you sure--?"

"I am very sure, Cherry. Besides, I'm the one suggesting it. I'll go to the doctor now so I could immediately tell you waht he could say about this that might help." And with that, she gave them a nod and effortlessly made her way back to the small hospital.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

While the three of the 'flower shop boys'--she already knew their names by asking them but she still liked calling them that way--were enjoying her slightly burned but still hot toast with butter and slightly bitter but still aromatic tea, Lime was dangling her legs in the gutterside of the flower shop's flattened part of the roof. Well, she had cried, all right, but that had ended a while ago already.

And it's really not that she couldn't understand Aya. She just chose not to.

She was hurt, of course. It wasn't easy being harassed in a way like that. But she couldn't blame him, either. With the way that she had just entered into their lives, who wouldn't be suspicious? She remembered Otaru always warning her about people who act strange and suspicious but she never really gave a second thought about it. She silently sighed. Perhaps Tiger was right, that she really must be still that naive.

She silently and gently lied herself down on the roof as she stared at the immensely light blue sky. She never knew that people love her because she never lose her optimism and hope on something, even if you could already see her in pain. And that kind of trait is just the one which is strongly guiding her right now.

If Aya thinks that she is a traitor or a spy--for whatever that means, but it sure sounded very bad and negative--then she must be able to prove him wrong. All of them. She must be able to pay her debts in servitude now before she could properly say her goodbyes to them. She had to prove it to him that she was not here to spy on them and to use them for her advantage, for she might not have enough of the previous days' events with her, but she still had her identity, though. And she ws trained and taught properly by her loved ones never to do anything bad for her people.

And with new determination in her spirits, she gave herself all the positive energy she could get and smiled that dazzling smile of hers.

Prove it, she will. Even if she is still quite unsure up to now why Aya's disapproval and opinion of her meant that much to her.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

This is his fountain of youth, his place of refuge. His haven of atonement.

He is with his sister once more, the only relative that he only has left.

He gave her the white flowers--roses--that he had gleaned from the shop and placed it in her vase, the only vase that she has. All the while watching her as if he anticipated that anytime soon she'd finally open her eyes and be prepared for the world.

In this place he could think freely and clearly. In this place, he could allow his guilt to eat him alive.

"I admit...I have been quite harsh with her, Aya. I know that I should also give her the doubt but I would've been gentler."

He looked up at his sister's peaceful and happy face. And the most surprising of all, that it looked flushed. He silently smiled.

"Don't worry, Aya. Just wake up and you'll be able to meet her, too. You two could have been friends, provided that she really isn't a spy. She could learn a lot from you."

He was answered by the silent hum of the breeze rippling against the curtains again, but he didn't mind. Call it his gut feeling, but he knew that somewhere in the silence, her sister has heard him and has understood. And for that he was content.

He stood up from his stool and glanced around the room for the very last time when he had spotted another small bouquet of flowers in the far end of the table near the windows. He went to closely inspect it and realized that this other visitor had been here a few days back. Not only does it look that old, it also looked familiar.

It was a bouquet of tulips.

Sakura.

Pain again, and sadness. He didn't want to inflict more pain than what he had already given. He silently took the bouquet off the table and after inspecting it more, threw it in the trash can.

He may be gentle, yes. But he could also be unintentionally crude.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Well...uhh..."

"Hmm?"

"Well...you see..."

"Okay...?"

The afternoon has just passed by without the repeat appearance of Aya so Lime decided not to tell them what happened before they woke. Besides, she also felt that Aya would feel better if he told them what happened to him himself. So instead, she concentrated on making her speech stating her wishes and thank you's and soon goodbyes. But she always got stuck in the middle whenever she'd start.

The day had passed by quite well. After breakfast, Ken gave her a short tour to the flower shop where she was finally officially introduced with the phone, the Omi robot, the blender, the oven, the toaster, the juicer, the TV set, the stereo, the refrigerator, the computer, and many others, much to Lime's first initial reaction of fright, then pure curiosity and finally poking maniacy. They remembered one moment when she was not yet done fumbling with the buttons of the blender and it suddenly screeched to the maximum for it was still plugged to the power source. They remembered, with much amusement, how she had instantly jumped on the screech with her hairs all pricked, her eyes as huge as meatballs and her expression, priceless. She wasn't even able to shriek it out. A moment later, they watched with complete interest how Lime had overcome the sudden fright by poking at the button more often, to the point that Yohji had to stop her or else the blender might burst and get destroyed.

"We really would like to thank you for the much prepared breakfast, Lime-chan," Omi had said tenderly after Lime had finished washing the dishes with much insistence on her part. Actually, Omi assisted her so as to make sure no plate won't break but due to Omi's put out joke, Lime had been giggling that the plate she held finally slipped her fingers and fell, much to Yohji's very patient sigh. Since then on, both made it a point never to joke around during dishwashing, though they were able to pull off a silent chuckle or two without exasperating the 'old man's patience' (A/N: yeah, Lime called Yohji the old man .).

"It's really nothing much compared to how much I have caused you all. Thank you once again!" And she jumped and hugged them each hard, before bouncing back to the soft couch once again.

"Oh, it's really nothing," Ken said all-too-reassuringly, though a fluster could be seen registered on his face.

"How did you learn how to prepare breakfast anyway, Lime-airen?" Yohji teased, though Lime didn't seem to understand him at all. She would always blame it on the 'generation gap'.

"My sister Bloodberry always gave me a tip that when it comes to guys, you always have to serve them something hot and sweet in the mornings," she all too innocently and with much pride answered, earning a choking cough from Yohji who was recently still drinking from his cup. Ken and Omi looked like ripe tomatoes, if only Lime had the interest to notice. No, siree. She was perfectly intent on the phone with buttons that can be poked.

It did sound like some inuendo, didn't it?

"She said that?" Yohji finally said, instantly interested after recovering from it all. While both Omi and Ken warningly coughed.

"Uh-huh," Lime distractedly replied, still interested in the phone.

"And how does she looked like?"

The coughs seemed to sound coarser.

"Huh?"

"Your sister, Bloodberry, Lime, how old is she?"

"Uh...about the same age as yours." Her finger was already hesitantly angling towards a button.

"Her hair color?"

"Uh...red." She poked at the button. Waited a few seconds. Nothing happened.

Coarser warning coughs.

"Really? And her height?"

"Much taller than I am." Poke. Poke. Poke. Nothing dismantling again happened. She felt hopeful.

"Really? And her built?"

"Yohji..." now Ken was not able to stop it.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. She tried the other buttons. Nothing again. She felt ecstatic.

"I don't know really...well, she does always prided herself being the most aggressive and the sexiest among us. She always told us that she has the biggest bust and the reddest lips."

Uh-oh. Yohji. Please. Stop.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. She tried the other buttons. Nothing again...

"REALLY!"

And that's when the ringing beagn, again jolting Lime out of her curious poking again. She turned around to look at Yohji who was expectantly watching at her, a strange look in his face, not bothering to answer the phone. She galnced at Omi-kun whose ears were blushing so hard in embarrassment, head bowed down and Ken covering his face and shaking disappointedly.

She looked at Yohji again. Blinked. Blinked. More confused blinking.

"Lime?"

Stared at him. Blinked. Blinked. More confused blinking.

Then she innocently stretched her arms and pointed towards the room, all the while looking worriedly at him.

"It's over there."

Now it was Yohji who had to blink back. "Uh...huh?"

"The comfort room. It's over there," she again answered, trying to be helpful.

"Huh?"

"Yes, you just won't miss it. It's that second door there."

"Wha--? Why?"

"The CR. It's there." And more worriedly, she added.

"You look like someone who _badly_ needs a potty."


	9. Debt

A/N:To those who would even read this fanfiction, I'm planning to _relocate _this to another place. I plan to put this in Weiss Kreuz's folder (is it even called a folder?) and see if there are even improvements…made. So I'm just telling you before the next chapter is up. No harm done with that, I guess, right? And for those who are reading—I hope—but _are not_ reviewing, please be a little kind. Sometimes people do need _a lot_ of inspiration and criticism in writing you know…

VII:DEBT

She solemnly gazed at the doctor who is seating at a chair near his windows and is silently enjoying the lovely terrain laid before him. He had a somber look that resembled a collage of guilt and unfinished business, but a part of his memory had somehow made its way to his lips, reaching home. He had somehow smiled.

"Good morning," was her first greeting, which only elicited another downcast look on his face. She sat at a stool across him. He smiled a little wearily.

"Doctor Lorelei, you haven't left yet?"

"Cherry's already sensed her, Doctor. We already have a concrete lead. We'll soon find her."

There's no doubt on the hopeful joy that alighted the man's features. "Really? Where could she be?"

"We're not yet sure, but Cherry's positive that it's not so far away. But…another possibility is that it could be the plane she used."

He only sighed and relaxed. He leaned his body back to the seat.

"L-w-e-l-l-e."

The lady doctor only started. "What?"

"The plane. Use those letters by the door and you could get in. The name of the drug I used is Phlyax 011 (A/N: just made this up!) If she indeed had lost a lot of her memory, the antidote is simply the extract of the rose, its drops added to the drug itself. Though I suggest you not heal her unless it's necessary…she wouldn't…"

Another silence.

"I understand, Doctor Hess. Thank you for the information."

The doctor has smiled sadly and looked away, eyes focusing back on the terrain.

"Doctor Lorelei, I knew that it's too much to ask of, but can I request a favor from you?"

Hesitant but curious, she prodded him to go on.

"When I saw Lime for the first time, all I could think of is her maiden chip and my need to have it in my bare hands. I never focused on her essence as an importance until it was too late."

She continued to say nothing, feeling sympathetic.

"I remembered myself then so well. Silently mocking her for her hopes to become human. I thought of her as very stupid, how she would've wanted to be part of a race who only knew cruelty, ego and ambition. Her personality—her purity—couldn't stand the countless disappointing realities for sure. But I was wrong. Her purity only made me cringe in shame. She gave me hope that you could change."

He sighed for a while and slowly smiled again.

"A few days after you leave, I'm also off to move out to Muchen District Hospital. If-if you could finally find her, would you…would you take her there for me? Only once? I would just like to see her, even for the very last time."

She knew what is right. And she does have a compassionate heart. She silently nodded, throat choked with unbidden tears.

"I'm not sure if she'd remember me. The drug could've worked on her. But still…"

"I'll get her there, I promise. Even if I had to sneak her out for that."

His smile was somber, but grateful. "Thank you. And doctor?"

She gazed back at him.

"Your secret stays with me. Though I'd like to ask that if I deem it useful, I'll use it to save lives. But no sharing whatsoever."

She nodded, silently sighing in relief.

"If that's what you wish. Times have quite changed. I'm planning to use it myself to help others, too."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

After the slightly reprimanded Yohji by the much younger Ken and Omi, nothing much had happened—except the untimely arrival of Aya. They would've hit on him too but noticing his _destructive tendencies_ aura, they chose to leave him alone.

Lime was a different matter, though. They watched with interest as the lady was pacing back and forth with onions here and pan there, seemingly focusing on the dinner she so much insisted to prepare. But a glance at her out-of-the-blue pensive expression had them rely on second thoughts. She looked like some inward battle of wills had occurred in her, so Omi decided to help, earning another snicker from Yohji.

"Just face it, Omi. You just can't get your hands off the pretty lady."

"I'm not a pervert, idiot," he vilely quipped as he made his way towards Lime.

So Yohji focused on the stoic Aya instead.

"So…why were you very late?"

Silence.

"Had a date you don't want us to know, eh?"

_Angry_ silence.

Then a flurry of bluish hair popped out of the door, an uneasy smile gracing the heavenly features of the naïve woman. Body-wise—with Aya's smaller sweats and shorts—she would've been a perfect ten. As for the rest, she's in more ways than one, still a child.

"Uhmmm…dinner's ready." Then she was gone.

Dinner was tense, too. A worried tension. Aya remained stoically calm though his eyes held on to their watchful alarm. Lime looked very much uneasy, still mulling over something. Then at lat she dropped her spoon and looked at them all, a decisive expression in her face. She only looked cuter, as far as Yohji is concerned.

"Lime?" Ken had asked then.

"Uh…" Clue number one: loss of articulacy. This is not an easy task. She hated her tongue sometimes. Just where is it when you most needed it to be there?

"Uhmmm…thank you." Her voice was very careful and gentle. Then her decisive stance came back again.

"You're welcome—"

"—so please allow me to thank you for all that you did!"

Confused stares. "Uhh…you just did."

She vehemently shook her head. "Please tell me what I must do to repay you all!" she eagerly pleaded.

"Ahh, Lime…it's really nothing—"

"How long have I been here again?" she asked, as if she heard nothing.

"Three days. Almost four." It came from Aya.

"But Lime, really, that is, that is is—" Uh-oh. Another loss of articulacy on Yohji. He never lost articulacy, with his rich vocabulary of profanity. Never. Lime felt this task is going to be reeeeaaaalllllyyyy hard.

_Bad _sign.

"Okay. So I'll repay you for four days."

Some more prattling. "No, no, no—!"

"And then I'll leave after that."

All spoons went down as all eyes focused on her.

"So from now on…I'm going to be your loyal maidservant for four days!"

They can see it in her unwavering though uneasy eyes that she was dead serious. She is going to accomplish her task, no doubt about it. Even if they would dissuade her to do otherwise.

"You serious!" Omi had to choke that one out.

An aggressive nod.

"No—Lime—you know—really—you don't need to. We just—"

"I know that I look suspicious enough for trouble," she slightly glanced at Aya which only resulted to a pang on the latter's part, "and the more I'm grateful that you saved me. However…I must not be…abusive, right? Your hospitality is too much. And I really don't want to go away without even thanking you first. This is the only best way I know."

"Y-you're really leaving!" Omi asked incredulously.

Lime nodded, a little confused at his question. That was the most obvious and natural thing for her to do right?

"I don't live here," she whispered to herself. Then she looked back at them.

"I need to go home," with her voice firmer.

"Do you even know how to get there?" Ken asked.

"I will manage," she reassuringly stated, a little evasively. "I still have things to do before I go home though, so I think I could ask a lot of people who could help me by then."

"Why can't you just ask us for help?"

"No, no, no. I don't want to trouble you any further." Cherry would have been proud of her seeing her like this. She suddenly missed her terribly. 'I really want to go home.'

"What would you still do?" Omi now asked, not able to ignore the situation any longer.

"Uhhh…bring myself to the police?" she weakly joked.

"You what!"

"No…I mean…well…uhh…yes?"

Aya frowned. Yohji's jaw slacked back down. Ken had his eyes bulge. Omi was unconsciously furious.

"Why the hell would you even do that for?"

"Uhmm…well, I wanted to know if I did something bad. I wanted to pay for them, too. And also to comfort myself that I won't be ruthlessly chased if I go home," she added, trying to sound very cheerful.

"What made you even think of that!"

For a moment, Aya expected that Lime would tell the others of their private moment a while ago. But the girl only shook her head.

"I don't remember anything that happened to me. I can't even be sure if I've been…used…I should pay, right? And asking the police might help me remember."

"Ridiculous!"

That perked the girl a bit. But what they didn't expect were tears.

A very huge one which is dreading to fall on her left eye.

Now that had them worry a lot. They weren't much for tears. They weren't made—trained—to be comforters. They helplessly and hysterically looked at Lime as her enormous teardrop is finally gliding down the smooth planes of her cheeks. Uh-oh. Oh no. They better do something now.

"Well…okay! Okay! Sorry! Just don't—!"

She was shamelessly doing her hiccups now. "…you'll let me…serve you for four days?"

They sighed. No choice. No choice. "Yes."

A little happy sob and sigh there. "…you'll let me tend to the flowers?"

"Yes."

"…let me sell them?"

"Yes."

"…you'll let me prepare your food?"

Her food…well, it's tolerable and a whole lot better than Omi's. Not by much, but still. "Yes."

Now Lime's voice is slowly getting determined and ecstatic with the successive "yes's". She started to get bolder.

"…I'll clean the shop every afternoon."

Isn't that too much on her…wait, the tears…more resignedly, "Yes."

"I'll deliver like what Ken-kun and Omi-kun did."

Isn't that dangerous? They'll just have her followed then. "Yes."

"…you sure?"

They looked at her hopeful puppy-doggy eyes again. They sighed. "Yes."

"Weheee! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

She had just successfully jumped on the nearest person—Ken—and hugged him so tight he was getting dizzy, all the while listening to the muffled expressions of gratitude. When they parted, they could see the stunned expressions of the other people. She easily straightened up and with utmost seriousness in her stance and voice, raised her right hand.

"I promise to be _not _of a hindrance to you for four days, starting tomorrow!"

She was only earning a silent glare from Aya and an amused chuckle from Yohji. He stood up and ruffled her tresses before he sauntered to the other side of the room.

"You amusing kid. Just don't wear yourself too much, eh?"

A serious nod it was very close to rigid.

"Promise."

"So I guess, this ends our day, doesn't it? So now, who shall clean all our plates after we eat?"

Ooooooooooooo

They have just sneaked in on time when Lime was busy with her dishwashing servitude. Manx was already waiting for them, disks in her hands.

"Omi, kindly check out these files for me. I believe this will be another mission we need to act on."

"This connected to Toei?"

"Yes. And by the way, the acting Persian is still waiting for your response, Omi. I'm tired of being the mediator here. You better settle this between the two of you now."

Omi looked worn out but he still smiled. "Sorry. I'll get to it. Promise."

"Better be. By the way, about that Lime…"

"She wants to be a helper for four days."

"She what?"

"She also expressed her wish to leave then after that."

"Oh, she does now, huh? Then why doesn't she leave this instant?"

"She wants to repay us, Manx," Omi cut in a little defensively.

"Oh really now?"

"What did you get about the girl from the files so far?" Aya decided to go straight to the point.

"Nothing. No records of her here. She's telling the truth when she said she didn't belong here."

A sigh. Silence. "She wouldn't even tell us where she came from. You think she lied when she claimed that she couldn't remember what happened to her?"

Manx merely shrugged it off. "Could be that she didn't lie. That condition is possible. I'll have a sample of her blood later when we get out of here and have it checked. As for now, I want you to work on those files as quickly as you can. We barely have a week before Toei leaves."

Omi went to where his laptop had been and opened it. A few moments later, he was scanning through the files.

"Toei had frequent meetings with Emishi for a month. Though they had been labeled as 'urgent business trips' by his secretary."

They zoomed in on a picture of the man who had just come out from his limousine. It was the day her arrived at Fuji Hotel. He had sandy blonde hair, trimmed at the sides and green deadly eyes. Charming smile. And surprisingly, still in his late-twenties.

"Well, he's younger than expected," Yohji had commented.

"There's a woman behind him in that vehicle," Aya revealed. True enough, when they zoomed in on the picture some more, a woman with soft features came into view. She was waiting for Toei to properly get out before could do so herself.

"Something's wrong with her. Her eyes look blank and expressionless."

The rest just nodded and frowned in agreement.

"Toei is not married," was all Manx could say.

"Not an excuse, not an excuse."

"She's Shuichi Emishi's sister," Omi, the hack genius, blurted.

"What?"

"Name is Mayumi Emishi. Twenty-four years old. Been reported lost—dead—by family for two years already. Seems that her brother knows where she is." He was already hacking through the more clandestine files.

"Gotcha! I found it—she was reportedly attending a convention her brother is supposed to delegate. Most delegates were businessmen, engineers, politicians and doctors. Topic about moving technology to a notch higher. Toei, Inc. hosted the event. Mayumi was reported to be lost after the convention. Two days later there were reports that she had been one of the ambushed passengers of Michika Liners en route to Ichido (A/N: I again made this up). Dead on the spot. Parents recognized her by the clothes she wore."

"Then why is she with Toei then? And why didn't her brother tell their parents about her still being alive?"

"Their parents were dead from a plane crash two months after Mayumi's supposed death. It could be that Shuichi also did not know about Mayumi being alive, too. And their parents had died five years ago."

A thoughtful silence was reserved for analytical thought.

"Be ready to leave for Mount Fuji tomorrow," was all Manx could say, still studying the information that Omi had retrieved. "Seems that what Shuichi was supposed to attend is the second convention Mayumi had attended a year ago. It will be over for a week."

"Find out the connection between toei, Shuichi and Mayumi. And try to discover something more on the Third Anchor. We need to get moving. Fast. Be ready tomorrow at exactly 7:00 Am. I'll have everything prepared by then."

And so she stood up, and motioned to the door, signaling the end of their meeting.

They were greeted by Lime's happy singing as they observed her wipe one of the last three plates. It only took her a little while to sense that they were there. She instantly greeted them with her unique move, though it looked awkward as she held the plate.

"Ha-O! Oh, Miss Manx, you're here!"

The woman greeted merely gave her a smile. "You looked better today."

Another lively, charming smile. "Hai!" Then, like an afterthought, "Would you like to eat?"

Said woman was a bit shocked by the invitation. "Oh…no thanks."

"Okay," she said and resumed to her work, singing once again.

She then turned around and led the other four to the hall.

"Well, you have to do something about her before you leave."

"What if we take her with us?" Yohji had asked.

"Mister, you're going to Mount Fuji to accomplish a mission, not to baby-sit."

"She could help us look less suspicious, though," Yohji insisted. "Besides, leaving her here would be a little dangerous."

"I'll stay with her here while you're away. So you better start thinking on how to tell that kid about your leave tomorrow."

"Don't you think we better ask her first whether she wanted to go with us or not?" Omi asked. Manx looked at him suspiciously. "My answer still remains. It's best if she still is not seen anywhere and I'll use the time you've been away on checking her up." And she sat on the couch and waited for Lime to show up.

She did a few minutes later, asking the flower shop boys if they still needed anything.

"Well, Lime…it's not really urgent but we needed your help on this one," Yohji said, taking the matter into his hands.

Interested, Lime walked closer to them a little more, anticipation clearly written all over her face.

"You see, my best friend had just given me an invitation through the mail inviting us to his wedding—" Lime's eyes brightened up at that "—and since it was quite a wedding in the rush, he is need of three more men who could assist him in his wedding which is set next week." What the heck, he knew it sounded a little lame and stupid, but seeing the look of understanding in Lime's eyes, she seemed to be buying it.

"Why not sit down first before we continue," Yohji offered, which Lime just took willingly. Unfortunately for Aya, his side was the only vacant seat left. Lime slowly dropped herself to the soft cushion, smiled a little at her seatmate, and continued to look at Yohji once again.

"Since the four of us are already leaving tomorrow—"

"Tomorrow already?" Lime looked shocked and perplexed.

"Yes, tomorrow. We needed someone who'd take care of this flower shop, Lime. We would like to ask if it's fine with you—"

"Okay! I'll keep your shop clean and full with customers with the best that I can! But…" she somewhat mumbled, looking heavenwards and tapping her chin with her fingertips, still looking perplexed "…I still don't know how to completely take care of the place, though."

"Don't worry, I'll stay with you. The four of them have requested for my stay here as well," Manx cut in, trying to sound reassuring.

"It's not that much of a burden?"

She nodded, and tried to smile softly.

"Okay!" she smiled brightly again, not having a care in the world. All except the girl and her _seatmate_ had sighed in relief in then.

"So I guess that's it for the night, okay? So why don't we all rest for tomorrow, eh?"

Ooooooooooooooooooo

He was already in his bed, and all he could think of is that he couldn't sleep.

He felt like it's getting heavier and heavier by the day.

The thought of leaving did not appeal to him at all, thus, the non-preparation. Leaving would mean a week of not being able to stay by his sister's side. Leaving would mean not being able to check up on Lime.

He sighed once again, feeling confused. Though a part of him wished—and believed—that Lime was innocent, his mind just forced-fully refused to accept.

He looked away and glanced at his side, marveling at the little jar he had picked up when he returned to the shop. It seemed that the girl had forgotten about it after their confrontation. He refused to believe that she was eager to be of help, but feeling the soothing effect of the salve as he tried it for inspection proved him otherwise.

And now this. Her offer to help them in four days and her plans of leaving. Not to mention her other plan of bringing herself to the police. He didn't know whether he should be suspicious about it or guilty about her. Was she planning another plot again so she could convince him that she is no spy? Or did it honestly come from her heart?

He refused to know. Because he knew, at the back of his mind, that the real answer would only prompt him to eat all those harsh words he had released on Lime.


	10. Memory

A/N:Now is the time for more clues…oh yes, more clues…!!

**IX:MEMORY**

She was extending her forearm to Manx as the syringe gently slipped into her veins. She felt the slight tension by the girl as the small container drew blood. When she had gotten enough, she had turned to the girl to tell her on what she's about to do with it only to find out that the girl had been shell-shocked. Had been crying silently. She unusually never cared about this, but the girl's reaction worried her still.

"Lime?"

As if caught by some illegal act, the girl had flinched and had easily brushed off her tears. She instantly—but weakly—smiled up at her.

"Miss Manx."

"Something's wrong."

Lime simply shook her head off. "I…I just missed my sisters, that is all. And that the syringe was painful."

Even against her own self, Manx had simply smiled. "Don't worry. Your blood will be put to good use. I'll have this checked and see if my people could still trace any drugs in your body. Then we'll hopefully be able to look for a cure."

"H-hai. Thank you so much again, Manx-sensei." The girl's kindness was starting to rub off on her, for that she was sure. If not, then how could she explain her growing sisterly affection for the kid?

"No problem," she effortlessly said as she started to stand up. "Meanwhile, will it be okay if I leave for a while and have this checked already? Just bolt the doors, though."

It was already late afternoon and the customers—obviously the male population—had more than left the shop. But not without much wrathful insistence from Manx that the shop is finally closing down, much to the guys' disappointment.

Now the cause of all that affection had simply smiled, and nodded to her new friend and potential older sister.

It was not until a few more hours later when she softly heard a distinct knock from the door. Curious to know who it was, she hastily opened it, and what had met her had shocked her quite to no end.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

The snow had been raining heavily down on them, but they did not care. Deep inside the confines of the KabuKi Inn, they were already scouring out the environment, particularly the room where their targets have been resting. Yohji had never left them through his binoculars while Omi had been searching for potential entrances that they might be able to use. Ken and Aya were out as they scanned the peripheries and hunted for more facts.

A moment later Yohji's mobile phone rang and he flipped it open in one of his hands to answer it. "Yo…why, Manx, honey, I never thought you'd miss me this fast—"

"Drop it, pervert. I just called in to check up on you and to tell you about Lime's recent development."

"Ahh…so would it be ladies first, or do I have to play gentleman?"

"It's confirmed. Lime had been drugged not less than a week from now. We still are _re-confirming_ if it really is the substance we think she is _infected_ with. What about there?"

"We've just heard that an urgent en banc gala night is in schedule two nights from now. Aya's now trying to get us some invitations so we could legally pass through."

"Good. Call me when something comes up. We have just gathered more information about Shuichi's background which you will find very interesting. I'll send it to you right away." Then without any warning, the line on the other side went off.

"Thanks for calling, honey," Yohji replied to no one in particular as he put off the phone, placed it back in the pocket of his pants and readjusted the binoculars. A few moments, he was soundly whistling, drawing attention from the once-concentrating Omi.

"Wow, does this man have a temper," Yohji whistled once again.

"What is it, Yohji?" Omi asked.

"Omi, could you possibly bug any wireless conversation this very instant—"

"I'm working on it," he cut off, hands and mind moving.

Yohji was watching a very violent Toei who was on the phone, while he smashed everything he saw in his room. It was obvious he was enraged by the message he had just received.

"And here we go," Omi said, pushing one button, and they could hear the ragged and controlled breathing of Toei on the phone line, before speaking, his voice altered on the phone.

'_Why didn't anyone tell me about this sooner?!!' he bellowed once again._

'_Nobody on the site was left to report, sir. They were all exterminated by the blow. We haven't heard of the explosion until we noticed that the team was no longer contacting us,' answered a quite calm and calculated mechanical voice, obviously distorted, too._

'_Wasn't there supposed to be a team monitoring them?!!'_

'_I'm afraid we have lost any sign of them, sir. A part of my team is already checking them out—'_

'_How about the specimen?'_

_The silence on the other hand was answer enough._

'_Is this Emishi's doing?'_

'_He is dead.'_

'_WHAT?!! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS?!!'_

'_The incident happened very urgently, sir. There had been no follow-ups regarding his death yet. Also, before he died, Emishi strictly ordered us that we were not to disturb you in any way, sir. He said these orders directly came from you. But now that he is dead—'_

'_I want you to find that specimen and those ten girls immediately or you'll all die,' Toei grated before cutting off. _

"Well, that was most helpful and unhelpful," Yohji offered, still looking intently at the fuming man, where a woman has just gotten in his room.

"I'll send this to Manx right away," Omi offered, already working.

By the looks of it, Toei was passing all his anger and frustration on the woman while he was shouting and grabbing the woman's arm. The woman did not even move or speak. Just like a doll. His hand was about to hit a very sensitive part on the face of the woman, but stopped himself. Instead, he inched closer, held the woman's chin in one hand and kissed her quite aggressively on the lips.

Yohji decided, after a few undressing moments from the pair, that his vision on them would rest for a few minutes. He removed the binoculars but still did not leave the place, still monitoring the place at a far distance if something suddenly comes up.

Even if the woman's frantic glide of the curtains to cover their windows seemed to end any sightseeing on them, Yohji still didn't move, his mind obviously working.

"Yohji, Manx has just given us something which is quite interesting," Omi interrupted, his eyes suddenly glued on the computer.

Reluctantly, he moved away from his position and walked towards Omi's position, who didn't bother to look at him lest he would break his habit of staring at the said computer. When he moved closer to the screen, though, his mind became as clueless as a blank sheet.

"Those are transcripts of some sort," Yohji said dryly, not seeing what Omi has seen.

"Next time, Yohji, _do_ try to read them," Omi tartly reprimanded.

The transcripts, as read, were already condensed reports made by Interpol. After reading a few, Yohji regarded Omi once again.

"Does this mean that the ten girls have a common thread after all?"

"We didn't see it right away for we were not able to scan through their e-mails. Also the e-mail message clearly ordered them that they shouldn't tell anybody about it."

"No wonder nobody close to them told us about it."

"Talking about the emails you receive doesn't happen habitually or regularly, either. Especially when you make blind dates through emails. Besides, who would doubt an agency which would get you dates via email? It's quite a trend these days."

"So, what did Manx say about the dating agency these ten girls have been consulting?"

"It's non-existent. Manx tried to contact the said agency, disguised as a teenage girl in _desperate_ need of a date—"

"Manx did that? She could very well ask m—"

"Yohji. The bottom line is that she couldn't contact HappyDates. It seems that you could only contact them if they contact you _first._ And the agency's not listed anywhere."

"Figures."

They were silent for a few moments, reading the other transcripts once again. Then they both stopped. At one transcript with the picture of a woman.

It was Mayumi Emishi.

"She's a spy working for the Interpol," Omi breathed.

000000000000000000000

Cherry was sniffing like a little puppy in all her kimono-clad glory, a quite flustered Otaru and an eager-to-follow-her-move Bloodberry in tow. They had been doing this for ten minutes already, immediately after Doctor Lorelei returned from the hospital with that new bit of information she had brought.

Hanagata was forced to stay with his slowly-recuperating brother for once in the car, together with Doctor Lorelei—who was still intent on finding out more about that drug—and Tiger.

"Cherry-chan, you could—"

"Shh—" Cherry and Bloodberry both admonished, obviously intent on their new task.

Of course, Cherry was not by any means disturbed by her actions. They were in a middle of a forest, after all, a place where manners and maidenly gestures were the last things to be of concern to.

"Do you sense it, too, Bloodberry?" Cherry suddenly asked, eyes quickly scanning everywhere.

As a sign of assent, Bloodberry then jumped up and landed on a large branch of a tree, also scanning. A few seconds later, she leaped back down to the ground, subdued excitement plastered on her face.

"Yes, I am completely positive that the unnatural clearing that I saw is the place where the plane could have landed."

"Where is it, Bloodberry? Where is it?"

And as soon as Bloodberry's fingers pointed towards the location, they were sprinting so fast that they unconsciously left Otaru with their frantic actions. It was not a few seconds later, though, that they returned and Bloodberry had carried a still flustered Otaru while saying, "Gomen nasai, _my anata_," before running off again to that location, where a clearing just stood before them.

A clearing with a huge hole obviously caused by some crash. An airplane crash.

At once, the three people stood in front of the firmly closed airplane door, remembering what Lorelei had told them before.

"L-w-e-l-l-e," Cherry very carefully and softly said.

Alas, they were already on step three. The door of the plane opened.

They scanned through the place right away. They didn't see much. Only the oversized shirt—torn—Lime is so used to wear together with her bodysuit. Plus her oversized hair accessories.

Contrary to what they saw, they had smelt much, much more. And sensed, much, much more.

Suddenly, much to Otaru's confusion—even if he had seen numbers of these whenever he is around the marionettes—Cherry and Bloodberry both perked up, a determined expression on their faces, while both were pointing to the east, where another forest could be found hectares away from the place. And where signs of another urbanized town could also be seen.

"She's there," they both declared, before they both gasped, then ran off back to their car, carrying Otaru once again.

0000000000000000000000000

"So...she's one of us?" Omi asked, still holding his breath.

"_Used to be_ one of us, Omi," Yohji corrected, still reading the transcript. For a few minutes, they were still mulling over the new information when Yohji suddenly asked.

"So...Mayumi is a spy...who worked _against_ his own brother? Without either one knowing of it?"

"The records passed here shows that Emishi became a member of the syndicate a year before Mayumi's _incident_. On the month that Shuichi Emishi seemed to cool down on some of the syndicate activities, that conference came in, with Mayumi Emishi already representing Shuichi's company."

"So...they're working together...as spies?"

"There had been no records of Shuichi being a spy. It could be that it was Mayumi who turned against Interpol in favor of his brother."

"Or it could still be the other way around," Yohji easily ammended.

"Excuse me?" Omi asked. Then Yohji pointed to another transcript.

"This transcript," he explained, "came from Interpol's latest interview with Shuichi's wife. Said that Shuichi had already planned to turn against the syndicate but the incident of his sister made him stay. That still didn't stop him for another try to get away, though. The ten girls seemed to have been his only chance."

"So...Toei had discovered Shuichi's plans and made Mayumi his object of blackmail?"

"Shuichi has something in his sleeve, alright," Yohji admonished. "Something in his sleeve which Toei needed very badly, to the point that he would do everything to make him stay. But now that Shuichi is dead, he has become desperate to find that something urgently."

"Well, would it ever still get crowdier," Omi added dryly, looking at the screen once again.

00000000000000000000000000000

She was staring at the girl who was staring back at her, doubly confused and shocked. Finally the _visitor_ talked.

"Who are you?" The voice was soft, careful.

"Nani?" Lime asked, confused. A sweatdrop was about to erupt. This time it was caused by confusion and a little bit of fear.

"Oh, please forgive my manners. I was actually quite surprised that the shop closed earlier than the usual. My name's Sakura...and I was hoping to see Aya here. Is he still around? And may I know who you are?"


	11. Breath

**X:BREATH**

**_(Afternoon. On one town.)_**

"—so-you-see-if-we-go-there-now—_NOW!_—we-could-already-cover-enough-land!!—" Cherry was losing some of her breath, but she did not care. Even if she could practically see the eyeballs of her comrades. Not the point, she knew.

But to _only see _the whites of their eyes, well, that's something else. Still, not the point, she knew.

She frustratedly sighed. How she hated her friends sometimes. Really, how could they still act as shocked as like that—with the exception of Tiger—when they've already been together for a long time? Besides, her computer being attached to a jet ruin Bloodberry had carried along on their way here is not that much of a sight, right?

Well, she guessed wrong. So she and Bloodberry took them out in their reverie in the only way they knew how. They bonked them. Hard. According to the marionettes' criterion of hard of course.

Somehow it worked. But now they have all the looks which clearly say _"explain"_.

But being a typical Cherry—who values time _AND_ who's in a rush—and being a typical Bloodberry—who…no need to elaborate—they did not answer the question. Instead, Cherry took out her computer, satisfied with the data she was able to take while Bloodberry once again carried the jet and threw it back to the place where it's supposed to be—she is overconfident with her perfect _shooting _range—which earned another shock from their _viewers_.

"We'll head to a place called Muchen District. If we couldn't find Lime there, then we'd go to Sapporo, where this jet is originally located. Maybe we could _still _find her captors there and look for answers. But Muchen District first!!" Cherry declared, and because they once again heard the possibility of being able to see Lime, all shock was forgotten and wisely assisted the marionettes.

With the exception of Lorelei, who was still thinking deeply.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

**_(Flower shop.)_**

"Er…Ha-O?" Lime weakly replied as she stared back at the woman who equally stared as much. Sakura was becoming more and more impatient with this woman-girl, still not recovering from her own shock at the sight of her in the flower shop. "I came here to look for Aya. Where is he? And—again—who are you?"

Lime was still wary, still stuttering, though her eyes came alight with recognition at the sound of his name. "Oh, Aya? _'Aya-sama'_ Aya?" Sakura merely nodded, eagerly wanting to know _now._

"Uhm, Aya-san is—"

"Aya is not around, Sakura, if you get what I mean," a voice from Sakura's back answered, making the lady turn around in complete astonishing reaction. "Manx!!"

"Miss Manx!! Ha-O!! Oh, I better prepare some tea. Er…excuse me!!" And with a second, Lime easily scampered off back to the flower shop. Still drawn out from her wits, Sakura finally asked, "Who is that girl?"

It took a while for Manx to look away from Lime's retreating form before she blinked back at Sakura and answered. Somehow, something else was on her mind. "She's their new housekeeper."

"What?!! But that's downright outrageous—!!"

"We better get in right now and talk about this." And with Manx's hand, she led Sakura to the shop and onto the living room to sit down. They made sure that Lime was still preparing the tea when she told Sakura what she needed to know—without revealing everything—in hushed tones.

But Sakura was a different matter.

"WHAT?!! You allowed her just that? But—!!"

"Sakura, remember you were like that before—"

"But. She's—"

"That's why even if I know that I'd hate myself for this later, I wanted to ask a favor from you." That caught Sakura off guard, stopping. "Huh?"

"I need to go deliver something to them _now_. It's urgent and it's too much of a risk to just send it through email."

"Oh. And…?"

Manx was still looking at her, then at the hallway, before adding. "My first option was that I would just give this to one of us and let him deliver it to them but—"

"It still is risky. You have to be there to tell them about what you'd deliver yourself," Sakura continued. Manx's eyes never left hers, making it clear that she'd understand. "Yes."

"And your favor?"

"I needed somebody else to be here for her."

"So you want me to _just _guard her, right?" Sakura was holding her breath. Finally, Manx nodded. And all Sakura could say, amidst the incredulity of it all, was, "Okay".

"Thank you then. So I guess now we'd better explain…"

"Explain?" came the already near voice of Lime, looking rather expectant, while she was holding a tray with steaming tea.

"Oh, good afternoon Lime-_imouto_. I believe you've met Sakura, Aya's cousin. She's been working in this flower shop for some time now; I've called her to come here."

Though still having that nonplussed look on her face, Lime still looked radiant in her smile. While Sakura stared that stare which clearly stated, _"What? Aya's cousin?"_ right after looking at Lime. Somehow, after knowing Lime's history, she couldn't help but wish she could do _something _just that she could wipe off that smile on her face.

Suddenly Manx was looking at Lime so hard that even the girl had to freeze in anticipation. There was something unspoken in her eyes, but all she said was, "I already had your blood checked, but unfortunately the center couldn't figure your blood out. They recommended me to another center but it's in Tokyo, so I needed to leave now. Don't worry; I called Sakura here to help you."

Though still wary, Lime seemed to understand. She merely nodded and smiled. "Thank you so much for everything, Miss Manx, Sakura-chan. I would never know how to repay—"

"No need for that. I'm sure anyone would be willing to help you. Anyway, I have to leave now. I hope you and Sakura would get along well. I will be gone for three days most. And don't worry, I believe the wedding Yohji is attending is in Tokyo, too, so if I happen to see them, I'll send them your hellos."

And with a nod as response to Lime's over-emotional bow, she turned on her heel and moved away, Sakura following. When they reached the door, Manx turned back to Sakura once again. "Just activate the security alarm system and the cameras. The cameras worked automatically, so one suspicious move from her and the alarm goes off. Interpol would be able to take care of her then before she could ever escape. And, about you—"

"Don't worry. I'll take care of my own alibi, but I'm sure they'll let me stay here," Sakura simply reassured. Manx nodded. It was a few minutes when Sakura moved away from the door and towards the room when she saw Lime running toward her quite frantically, while saying all at once: "Sakura-chan, has Manx already left?"

"She's not yet far from here—" and Lime was gone.

Manx was hastily walking, clearly thinking about the very fresh lead that they got when she heard her name being called by Lime. She stopped and waited, but was quite shocked to have Lime appear at her this fast. When the girl slowly neared, though, she was still nonplussed as Lime handed a small bottle on her hands. She looked at it quizzically, and creased her brows in askance.

"Uhm…Miss Manx, if you happen to see them, could you give this to Aya-san?"

Manx creased her eyebrows, asking as if she hadn't heard. "To Aya?"

"Uh…this is for Aya-san's wounds—just don't tell him it came from me!! Ehehe…I was quite worried that the bottle I gave him before was lost and has never reached his hands—" But Manx only softly waved away her babbling. "Don't worry, Lime. Thank you for this. Will that be all?"

"Hai. And thank you once again, onechan…may I call you onechan?"

Despite herself, Manx couldn't control the almost painful but soft smile on her lips. "Of course, Lime-imouto." The answer clearly brightened the girl's features as she finally bid Manx goodbye and ran back to the shop.

When she returned, the awkwardness came back, though. She looked—rather, stared—at Sakura, who only looked back. After being left by Manx, neither of the two knew what to exactly do. So Sakura finally decided to take charge. "So I guess it's just you and me, right? Who would have expected this?"

The girl offered nothing in return, just as expected.

"So I guess we'd have to make some plans…so, Lime, would you love to have a stroll in this place?"

The invitation came quite as a surprise to Lime that she had no idea what to do. "W…w-what? B…b-b-but—"

"No buts!! Don't worry!! We'd lock the place, okay?"

"B…but…to where…?"

"Where else? To my place, of course!! We'd get some of my stuff there so I could stay here with you!!"

The truth, of course, is that Sakura is quite feeling lucky. She is sure that she would really use this new development to her advantage. This way, she had an alibi on staying _and_ she could personally see Aya's return.

It took a few hours until they were able to go back to the flower shop, and Sakura realized that she couldn't help but get to like Lime, even against herself. She soon realized, too, that Lime is so infectious with her energetic zest for life and her innate friendliness. But what she could hardly understand, though, is her incomparable stealth, strength and speed that she somehow doubted that she could very well be a spy.

"Sakura-chan?" Lime's muffled voice can be heard from outside her bedroom door. With Lime's help, she was now comfortably settled in her own room in such a very short time. She refused the offer Lime gave in sharing Aya's room—even if it was Aya's room.

"Oh, please come in." She waited for Lime to finally come in before she could softly reprimand her. "I thought I told you to call me Sakura from now on."

"Oh, sorry, Sakura-ch—Sakura. Oh, here, I've brought some tea and cake."

"Oh—thank you very much!! I barely realized that I hadn't tasted your tea back then." Lime merely blushed, and she sighed in envy on realizing just how adorable the blushing girl looked.

Had she blushed this way in front of the knight hunters? For how many times? Were they this affected, too?

"You're welcome, Lime. But I believe you are as tired as I am. Why don't we both rest now?"

"Oh, okay. Good night, Sakura—Sakura." And with a slight clumsy scratch on her head, Lime lithely went out of the room.

It took a little while for Sakura to finally realize that Lime was wearing Aya's sweats and boxer shorts. The instant thought that came after that filled Sakura with sudden dread.

**_000000000000000000000000000000 _**

_**(KabuKi Inn. Near to night.)**_

Aya and Ken have just arrived and were in the middle of explaining how they got the invitations—among others—when Yohji's oh-so-loud phone rang. When he found out that it was only Manx, he decided to chide her—just for spite, among others.

"Manx, I _really_ know that you miss m—"

"Where exactly in KabuKi Inn are you staying?" was Manx's urgent demand.

"Room 1550. Why—?" And she hung up on him.

"Some woman," Yohji muttered under his breath before he once again urged Ken to continue. But it only took Ken to utter one syllable when a knock came from the door. At first, they tensed from pure reflex, but finally coming to their senses that it might just be the bellboy, Yohji moved to open it.

Only it was not a bellboy. But a striking woman with flaming red hair and flaming red lips. Manx did not bother to greet him as she came in and quickly scanned each one of them until she settled on Ken who was holding out the invitations.

"Good. You were quick—"

"Manx!! You're here!!" Omi suddenly piped, aghast.

"Well, of course I'm here. Anyway—"

"You left the girl alone in the flower shop?" Aya finally asked, sounding rougher than he intended. Whether he was worried for the girl's safety or was worried for their own welfare, it was still unclear. It still drew out a glare from Manx, though.

"No need to bite my head off, _Abyssinian_. And will all of you stop cutting me off first? Good. I came here to bring you something _AND _yes, _Bombay_, it's too risky to just send it through the wires. And don't worry about your little _imouto_, Sakura's with her."

"You got Sakura into this?" Aya once again asked, earning another glare from Manx.

"Well, I desperately needed somebody then and Sakura just _magically_ appeared. She came to look for you after all," Manx nastily added, drawing out a hooting whistle from Yohji, this time drawing out a deadly glare from the Abyssinian.

Manx finally slumped down on a chair and drew out a tiny switch device. She turned on the switch and light reflected from the device to the wall. She turned back at the knight hunters and asked, "Is the place…?"

They all nodded. Manx continued with the switch and suddenly images and reports flowed through the hologramic screen on the wall. Then it stopped.

"I have some information which would make your lives easier. This way you wouldn't need to research for that much information anymore," she announced. She once again turned her attention back to the switch, and soon the screen came flashing once again.

"You somehow figured it out that Shuichi has something big that Toei wanted so badly?" They nodded. Manx quirked an eyebrow.

"You also knew that Shuichi's wife was the one who disclosed the information about Shuichi's plans." They nodded.

"Shuichi's wife was Toei's closest cousin." She only turned around to see them the slightest bit dumbfounded. These men were good hiders of emotions so that slight change satisfied her enough.

"Mayumi also found Shuichi out, just right before the convention. She had been working as an undercover agent for the Interpol disguised as one of the members under the syndicate when she finally found him out. She was both afraid at Shuichi's project and on the Three Anchors getting to it so she broke Interpol protocol and gave him a chance to escape. As a result, she was easily erased from our Organization. That's why it took us a longer time to retrieve these files about Mayumi."

"Interpol and _the Persian there_ never noticed the similarities of our cases?" Yohji asked a little incredulously.

"There is one thing about erased spies. They never existed. All their cases, their identities, nada. Once you get erased, your missions also got erased so as to protect Interpol lest the spy starts claiming he's worked with us. Those missions that they got either got transferred to his or her co-members' accounts or if unfinished, were assigned to another agent. However, someone does keep the remaining and only one copy of these clandestine files, and this is under the care of the Persian himself. We were lucky the files were stored in our _department_, so to speak. We were able to also scan through them."

They only stayed silent. No wonder Manx was so insistent about delivering the information herself. She continued with her so-called report.

"However, through Shuichi's wife—who is Toei's cousin—the Third Anchor had found them out. While Shuichi back then was planning for his plans of escaping, Toei had set up for Mayumi's supposed death. That ended with Shuichi staying and with their deal, and possibly his torture to his wife. Shuichi still has not completely told Toei with his latest big project yet, as he promised—as part of the deal—that he'd tell everything once it has reached its success. But we exterminated Shuichi before he could even tell Toei everything, and now Toei would kill to have it completed, even if he had to continue it himself."

"Shuichi's project's that big?"

"At least Toei had most of his funds flowing through Shuichi's project."

"There's something missing," Aya finally said.

"I knew you'd think fast. No, for reasons only Mayumi knows, she refuses to disclose any information to Toei, even if she was already erased. But that's not the problem. You see, even if Shuichi was not able to tell him everything, he had left a lead where Toei is now very determined to follow."

They only stayed silent as they watched Manx do something on her switch device once again.

"Persian, were all of you able to listen to Toei's phone call?"

"We were getting to that stage yet," Omi dutifully answered.

"I believe we all need to hear the conversation now before I proceed," Manx ordered, her eyes still veiled. And Omi dutifully followed. The few minutes were spent on replaying the tapped phone conversation of Toei until Manx ordered Omi to replay a certain part of the phone call.

'_Why didn't anyone tell me about this sooner?!!' he bellowed once again._

'_Nobody on the site was left to report, sir. They were all exterminated by the blow. We haven't heard of the explosion until we noticed that the team was no longer contacting us,' answered a quite calm and calculated mechanical voice, obviously distorted, too._

'_Wasn't there supposed to be a team monitoring them?!!'_

'_I'm afraid we have lost any sign of them, sir. A part of my team is already checking them out—'_

'_How about the specimen?'_

"And we may stop there, Persian, thank you," Manx said as she turned on the switch. With a click, a video clip of some sort played. At first it did not make sense, for the full 45-seconder was nothing but a coverage of a typical jet plane crash. It was what they heard which rather troubled them. Beneath the explosion was a voice of a man, reporting.

"This is an edited TV report," Ken concluded. Manx nodded.

"This would have been his first report. Unfortunately it would also be his last. We'll never be able to hear of Takeru Kondo and his cameraman Kenji Aino again. This was supposed to be scheduled about three to four weeks ago. This report did not even make it on air. No other TV networks did."

"But…this is a big crash—"

"Which happened in a very unsuspecting, far-flung place. The TV network—KMN—made this neophyte's life harder by assigning him to a locality where nothing almost happened. They thought anything he could get was harmless. But as what you could see with his fate, he had wreaked more havoc than what they expected."

"So that would only mean that…"

"The owner of KMN is the Second Anchor. Master Persian had some inside man assigned there just to check up some rumors about another case when that inside man unsuspectingly got this for us. He urgently sent it—through the wires of our untraceable account. He was traced by KMN, though. Now he suffers the same fate as that of Aino and Kondo."

They were at a loss for words due to so much shock. Now they had the identity of the Second Anchor.

"It was the Second Anchor's team which called up Toei in this phone conversation. As what you'd notice, Toei already knew about the specimen. It took a long while—but enough to have the reporter exterminated—for KMN to realize that the jet bore their insignia so they called Toei right away. They were faster than what we expected, so you really have to move very cautiously now."

"Where did the incident take place?" Aya suddenly asked. For a moment, he noticed that Manx seemed to look like she never wanted to have that question asked.

"Do you know why we chose Muchen District to be our hideout?"

"It is one of the places which had only one local paper and is one of the most unsuspecting—" Omi found himself biting off his tongue, a look of recognition passing on all the knight hunters' places.

"Actually the crash technically happened in the deepest and farthest outskirts of Muchen District, close enough to the town of Gindo and the Gindo forest, east of Muchen."

Then suddenly, Aya stood up, a hard look in his face. He finally found it out. It fit perfectly.

_Oh God…_

Only one piece is needed. He glared back at Manx. "Manx, who is this specimen Toei is talking about?"

Manx did not answer for a while, as she clicked on her switch once again. What came out was a result of some blood sample. Aya was unconsciously holding his breath, trying so hard to keep his emotionless façade.

_Kami-sama…_

"This blood sample has been infected with a certain drug we could only identify as Phylax for now. We still do not know what this drug could really do, for this drug is as clandestinely produced as Mayumi's files. It has a very astonishing effect of losing selective memory, though," Manx slowly said, making sure that they could slowly absorb all that she was saying.

"We only have one person who was infected with this drug. Surprisingly, this drug is only produced by EPI."

They were quite wary to ask. "EPI?"

"Emishi Pharmaceuticals, Inc."

They stood there, shocked, as Manx stopped clicking altogether, turning off the light and the quasi-slide show.

"The _only_ woman who had first-hand experience with EPI's drug is in our hands, Knight Hunters."

They knew what was coming.

"We actually call her Lime."

Now the four of them didn't know what to react. Manx continued slowly, soft enough for her to only hear, if not for the hunters' keen sense of hearing.

"We have an 89 probability that she could be the specimen Toei is looking for."

**_000000000000000000000000000000 _**

**_(Two hours later. Dawn. KabuKi Inn.)_**

While Omi was still busy carrying off with a map which they could use in their ambush mission, Ken was assisting him in telling all the possible adversaries they would face, as well as revealing the information which they got—where Toei would be privately staying during this en banc gala night. Manx was placing some calls here and there.

Yohji was still scouring out the environment which was Toei's room. The environment seemed peaceful for now. It seems even the Third Anchor needed some rest.

Aya, however, was spared due to his still unhealing shoulder wound. After careful inspection—and the evidence of blood still coming out amidst the bandages—he found out that the wound was deeper than what he thought. He was tempted to use _her _salve, but decided against it. Call him paranoid or overly cautious, he just hated being in trouble.

Especially trouble labeled as Yohji. No, he did not want another experience like the one he had endured brought about just by the mere mention of Sakura's name. Who knows what else could be brought up by the mere appearance of a unique-looking jar, which definitely looked feminine enough?

Until Manx came up to him and solved his problem altogether. Especially when she handed him a jar, one which was very identical to the one he had been using for quite some time now. He managed to swallow up any emotion he had at that moment. He hated the sudden stirring in his body which was brought about by just the mere appearance of this jar.

"She wishes to have her identity hidden, but I know you to be perceptive enough to decide it would be of no use to hide it from you. I know you know who gave this to you. I believe it's for your wound. She was quite worried that the bottle she was supposed to give you was lost before it could ever reach your hands. You better use it," Manx said, whispering so only he could hear.

Aya said nothing, but stared at her in askance. "I told them that I'd stop by Tokyo to have her blood checked and when I told her that the wedding you're supposed to attend is in Tokyo, too, she gave me that salve," Manx supplied.

Aya merely nodded, accepted the jar, but stopped after that. Instead he casually stated, "You knew about her."

It was obvious what he was talking about. "Yes. We've just made the assumption a few hours ago, when the rest of the blood sample results came as well as the file scans and this video clip. Believe me; we were as shocked as you were."

"And yet you left her there."

Manx quirked an eyebrow, quite amused. "Why, Abyssinian, is that worry infused with your voice?"

_No, it's called guilt. Damn it._

Still, he said nothing. He was concentrating on _her_ jar.

"She's safer where she is. If I took her with me, Sakura would only ask a lot of questions. Bringing her here would only get her and Toei closer. Do you think Master Persian did not have her secretly guarded after knowing what we knew?"

Still, nothing. He seemed asleep, his shoulders drooped like that, his face hidden with his reddish bangs. But Manx knew enough to doubt that.

"I'd go check up on their latest developments. You better heal that wound now, Aya. The blood's showing even in your shirt." And with that, Manx stood up, turned on her heel and left.

Aya remained stoic. But inside of him, he was silently battling. Finally he decided he'd rather use the salve than have him bleed to death. He much preferred his life than a silent night free from Yohji teasing. He slowly stood up and went to the washroom, where he took off his shirt, then the bandages, then slightly, and slowly washed his wound in preparation with healing it with the soothing effect of the salve.

"_She was quite worried that the bottle she was supposed to give you was lost before it could ever reach your hands."_

His hand stopped after the third spread. Damn it.

How could he be _so_ wrong?

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

**_(Six hours later. Morning. Flower Shop.)_**

Lime woke up early, as she rose from Aya's bed and stretched satisfyingly. A few more minutes later she came back to the room from a satisfying bath and opened the dresser. She chose to wear back her bodysuit, after it was washed, and chose to use one of Aya's oversized shirts. Its collar fell back down on the slopes of her shoulders, so she looked just like her usual self. Only that her hair was kept down; she had no other hair accessories to tie it with. She hastily cooked some breakfast—the menu Omi-kun had taught her—and set herself to open the flower shop.

She was feeling better for no reasons so far. She just felt like it. And humming to herself, she jumpily walked towards the door of the flower shop to open it. She looked out after opening the door, only to realize—though it always happened—that quite a number of suspicious-looking boys were _concentrated_ in the area just around the shop. They look too focused on the papers they're reading—all of them—that the mere sight of them caused wonder on Lime's mind. She continued to smile, however.

"Ha-O, everyone!! The flower shop's open!" And soon enough, all papers were forgotten as they all stormed towards the flower shop as soon as Lime entered the shop. At least, when they entered—in hordes—to see Lime tie up her apron and smile at them sunnily, with that hyper-wave of the hand they have come to crave, some of them had the gall to look sheepish.

A few moments later—when some of the boys already looked that they nearly had a heart attack in complete bliss—Sakura arrived at the hallway, just to be again shocked at the number of customers around. They were all definitely male, and their number even rivaled the number of girls who'd come just to see all of the four florists.

"Lime?" she called out. She could make out an outline of her unique hair bobbing here and there as she tended to the buying customers. But Lime heard her, and though it proved quite a difficult task—for there really are some who wouldn't want to let her go—she was able to be at her beck and call. But Sakura already proceeded to the dining room and ate her breakfast. She looked up at the aproned woman-girl and noticed that the apron was Aya's.

"That's Aya's apron." Lime looked down at her apron, then sheepishly smiled in agreement. "Hai."

But Sakura ignored her altogether as she swallowed her food. "Take it off. _My cousin_ hates people who use his stuff without consent." And as she stole a glance at Lime, she knew by the slight flush she's having that she's more or less humiliated. She inwardly smiled.

What she could not understand, though, is that Lime just smiled afterward, as if it was nothing. "Uhmm…you're wearing a funny costume."

Sakura's spoon stopped in mid-air, taken aback. "Funny costume?" Then looked at her school uniform. "This is my uniform." _Boke. _"I'm going to school so I couldn't help you with the flower shop this morning."

"That's okay, Sakura. It's part of my paying a debt, no need to worry!!"

"And you cook good breakfast." Lime once again blushed, looking adorable once again. "Uhmm…thank you, Sakura."

"But it has to be _better _the next time," she counterattacked. "Don't worry, I'll teach you how to cook."

And once again, she didn't get the reaction she wanted. God, she's dense. All she did was nod so enthusiastically as she prattled, "Oh, yes, I like to know, Sakura!! Hai! Hai! Thank you!!"

Did this woman even have an ego to begin with? Sakura wondered, after she activated the security-alarm system and went—in her case, squeezed in—outside the flower shop, unnoticed, all the while glancing at Lime—who was not able to change her apron due to her busy day as she took one customer to the next.

She once again looked at her flushed face. She did not look like a suspicious spy. She looked like a very happy innocent lady.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

**_(Ten hours later. Afternoon. Muchen District.)_**

While Doctor Lorelei had Yumeji admitted to the hospital as well as asking for the possible whereabouts of Lime, the rest were scattered to different areas of the district to look for her, too.

And now Cherry was zooming in on a boy, whose ice cream is melting, forgotten, as he gaped at the woman wearing a funny kimono outfit, while sticking up a photograph right under his nose. "Hi, I'm Cherry. Do you know this girl? See? See?"

Though Cherry was by no means pretty, she was also by no means frenzied, and is very capable of scaring the wits of a boy.

One. Two. Three. The boy cried. Bawled so loud she had no choice but to run away. When the mother—from the cotton candy store—turned to check up on his son, no one was there.

She had asked the people for numerous times now, but there had been zero improvement. Cherry is starting to get frustrated with her case. The people she'd ask either ran away, stayed but could not move a muscle nor speak by the blow, shrieked, mutter a few words she considered spitefully distasteful, or, as in the case of the boy, cried.

She sensed and looked at her _aneki _who was 55 kilometers away, also experiencing the same frustration that she is feeling. At first, Cherry could see Bloodberry putting on all of her feminine wiles on the teenage boy—and the guy seemed more than willing to die in ecstasy—but when the boy shook his head, Bloodberry showed her fangs and was about to pounce and strangle the boy until Otaru came to hush her. Otaru may not be strong, but his touch on Bloodberry is more than enough.

She was distracted, though, by the familiar voice she heard not far from where she is. She leaned in a little closer to know who it was and saw Tiger with a dashing man—in the person of Hanagata—use all of his own charm on a maiden who looked quite smitten. Until he said his magical words.

"Tell, me, my dear, how much?"

"Uh, Hanagata-kun, I don't believe that is a good idea—"

But Hanagata looked unfazed. "Don't worry, my dear, I'm willing to pay, all you need to do is just answer me where you've last seen this girl. She's my fiancée, you know."

And the smitten look was gone at once. She gave out reaction number four: she muttered an array of profanities right in front of Hanagata and was suddenly running away in an instant.

Guess this day is not as good as what they expected. They clearly needed another plan in action.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**(Same afternoon. Flower shop.)**_

Lime has just finished accepting the new deliveries of flowers and has arranged them carefully in their booths when the phone rang. She checked the time. It was still 3:30 PM so Sakura won't still be around until after an hour or so.

She hurriedly went to the side table and after slowly counting to ten—she still has not gotten over her fear on the thing—she warily took the phone.

"Hello?" asked a man's voice. After instantly recognizing the voice, Lime leapt and excitedly said, "Yohji!! Aniki!!", earning a chuckle from the man.

"I can hear that you're doing very well in there, Lime," Yohji finally said after a fit of chuckles. "Actually, we would just want to know what you are doing right now."

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you!! There were a lot of people buying the flowers and they promised to come back again tomorrow!!" Unknown by Lime, Yohji had his phone on loudspeaker mode that everyone heard her. They heard her that Omi couldn't resist chuckling and smiling, too, after hearing her enthusiastic voice.

"Uh…but Miss Manx is not around for now because she had my blood checked—" a hint of innocent conscience was there "—but Aya-san's cousin is here to even help me, so I am very happy!!"

Now Ken and Omi looked at Yohji then at Aya confusingly, while Yohji still had that infuriating knowing look. Manx decided to stay silent.

"_Aya's cousin_, eh?" Yohji more mockingly asked. "Hai!!"

"And may I know who among _Aya's cousins_ is there?" "Oh, its Sakura-ch—Sakura!!"

"Sakura?" "Hai!!"

"I'm glad we heard that. Oh, Lime, we got to go now. Take care of yourself, okay? We'll be back shortly. Goodbye for now."

"Bye-bye, Yohji-san!! Thank you again!!"

Yohji sighed as he flipped back the phone. "Now we know she's not yet in danger."

"We've got to go back as soon as we're finished here, Manx. Who knows what might happen to the two of them—"

"I know that, Bombay—Persian—_whatever_. But you're here NOW. This is YOUR mission. Focus on Toei first before you think about _anything else_. And make sure everything is already all set tomorrow night. I'll ensure your escape. Meet me 45° east of the building, miles away from the inn. A chopper will be waiting to take you by 10:00 PM so do it as fast as you can."

They all nodded. "Copy, Manx."

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

_He was covered in cold sweat, as he laid down in complete unrest._

_He couldn't move._

_He realized that his body resisted his mind's urge to do so. That brought him to panic, a panic so high._

_A panic so intense._

_It had bolted him upright his reclining form._

_He felt empty. Yet he felt very heavy. He couldn't go anywhere. He did not know what to do…_

_He was lost. _

Aya…

_Finally realizing what has happened to him, he ran for as far as he could, searching._

_But he did not know where to go. He was in the jungle, the jungle of his own ruined life._

_Then the voice called to him. "Ran."_

_He decided to follow the voice. He was heading east, running until his lungs would finally break down. Now as he neared, he heard the voice again; it was much clearer, it was much softer._

"_Ran."_

_And it had uniquely put his heart at rest. _

"_Ran."_

_He was in front of a clearing, where a lady with navy blue flowing hair had her back to him, her skirts slowly swaying with the soft wind. He patiently waited._

_The girl finally turned to her. And he was awed._

_She had the most enchanting sea green eyes. She had the most sweetest of smiles. She had the most innocent aura, innocent and peaceful, it took his breath away. She had the scent of roses. _

_She walked closer to him, her eyes still not leaving him, her smile still sweet yet it became more and more livelier every time she got closer to him. She was gently protecting something in her arms. Now they were standing face to face._

_She looked up at him. He looked down at her. She smiled. He moved no more._

"_Ran." And she offered out her arms to his. He kept staring at her, at his new fountain of youth. His fingers had grazed the soft petals of the rose._

_Even if he didn't see it, he still sure could smell it. It was a white rose._

_He actually knew it was white._

"_Ran. Take care of yourself."_

Aya's eyes finally shot open from a dream he wished he could have. And could not have.


	12. Life

A/N:I can tell you that I have been a good, studious student, but I was never an expert in history, therefore I can never really tell if you give such a big deal about celebrating New Year's Eve. However, if you do—that is, if my family and my neighborhood and if our _whole town_ is _sane_—then you'd feel more sympathetic for here I am, glued to this blasted computer, fighting as much as I could this blasted WRITER'S BLOCK for I know I owe the reviewers a lot—in the middle of the _illegal_ fireworks' (I intend to tell you_ they_ came from our more insane neighbors) bangs and cackles, in the middle of my family members eating as much barbecue and salads and cakes and fruits…when I could very well also join in the new year's eve's _hype_. Oh, well, I do hope you're happy with my little act of sacrifice….yes, another chapter!!

So the least you could do is read AND review (I do hope all of the people put_ that_ in their new year's resolution list…oh, well, one can only dream…).

But I'm not pushing it…so I thank you in advance…enjoy!!

**XI:LIFE**

The masks, forming a myriad of colors swirling to form one abstract painting, were the best means of disguise. It was perfect for people who wanted to keep their identities ambiguous and much more perfect for people who are set to hunt these _ambiguous people _down with an expert eye.

But for this night, the hunt was much easier than expected. The en banc night was, one, exclusive for a much selected number of people. Two, only those who have invitations could come in (Weiss need not emphasize it took a lot of encouraging for the _only_ four waiters employed for the job to give up their invitation posts, still get paid for it and not talk a thing about it). Three, guests wore different masks, while waiters were given one common mask for all of them to wear. Four, they are hunting for only one person, who happens to be the guest of honor for the event. This is the culminating activity which would disguise everything.

The _real_ meetings and conventions, the ones that would give no room to any outsider, however, would start tomorrow.

Aya was swiftly scanning the crowd, a tray of champagne in one hand, headphone in one of his ears as he delivers the drink to the person who ordered it. In another corner, Yohji was at the booth, taking care of the drinks, while Omi was at the other end of the room, taking care of the buffet table for the guests. Ken was also delivering the drinks.

Soon enough, a masked woman who had managed to seduce one man to have her invited came along, her fiery red hair glowing. Manx. She easily went astride with the man, whispering something in his ear. A few nods from the man and Manx was on her way to Yohji's booth, sitting on one of the stools.

"What can I do for you, baby?" he asked a little ominously, lips slowing their pace for a lazy smile, his eyes glinting as he roamed over her tightly clad body.

"Listen, Balinese, there has been an abrupt change of plans. Toei is receiving one specific phone call shortly after he gives his speech. I'll take Bombay's place before I leave for the chopper. Could you dally it that long before the drugs could take effect?"

"Don't worry, it only needs a bang from my detonator and they'll be good as mummies. I'll contact Abyssinian and Siberian," Yohji replied with a proud smile. In the corner of their eyes, Toei just stepped into the festivity, Mayumi beside her.

A masked man rose to his feet and led himself towards the podium, a glass of wine in his hands. "Ladies and gentlemen—_distinguished guests_—I would like to propose a toast."

Ken was quick enough to serve one to Toei and Mayumi as the ritual of toasts began. Finally, in the middle of it all, the host interrupted them once again. "I believe we would all like to hear a few words from our beloved guest of honor."

Toei raised his glass at first to everyone before he was ushered to the podium. Once he was there, everybody else was on guard. Their cue was beginning.

"Tonight, a new phase is placing itself in our hands, ladies and gentlemen. We shall undergo new challenges, new pursuits—" a mild roar could be heard mingling with the frantic clapping of hands "—so this is the time that we must endure…"

They watched as Toei was escorted back to his seat. As someone casually came up to meet him and whisper in his ear. As he was discreetly escorted back to the door. It was then that Balinese's _watch_ started ticking. The host went back for another announcement—and toast.

_5…_

As the host started talking and glasses were once again raised.

_4…_

As the invisible wire started to tighten its hold more.

_3…_

As the cheers started to increase.

_2…_

As delicate cracks protrude from Balinese's wire.

1.

The blast—though big—was so subtly done that the people had a hard time registering it in their minds if not for the soaking gloves they wore from the shattered wineglasses. The lights gave out—with shattered chandeliers—before they could even stifle a scream and scramble for the floor. It had ended with the shattering of all wine bottles and china before all of the _intoxicated_ people finally lay motionlessly on the floor, except for one person who remained standing.

Yohji smiled in his masterpiece. Now is the time to strike.

_**000000000000000000000000**_

Byrd is Toei's only bodyguard—Toei needed nobody else more—a top expert of explosives and now is completely bored. So when he sensed that a commotion is brought _not _with explosives but with something else—though having much the same effect—he wasted no more time.

He sneered as he stood up and finally use his abilities to use. He was committed to have one hell of an exciting night.

_**0000000000000000000000000000 **_

The moment he swerved open the door, phone in hand, Toei was ecstatic with the information he just got from the caller as the messenger inside the room at the same time handed him the small package he is due to view.

"_Sir, the girl's name is Lime; there had been no records of her in Japan; however, we have enough information gathered to believe that she came from a district called Japoness just across the Kitami Mountains in Wakkanai." _

"I want to tell you that I am very pleased by this. You know what to do. Go find the girl and call me at once. I will give further instructions then." And the line went dead.

Satisfied, Toei regarded the package lustily as he glanced at Mayumi. "Your brother's pride, Mayumi. Your supposed ticket to freedom is now all in my hands. What will you do, then, babe? Such a shame that your secret has not rested enough in your brother's grave!!" And he laughed manically, happy at the abrupt developments leaning to his side.

He slowly opened the package, an act akin to one undressing a thing such as a flimsy dress, and it was not long before the disc lay bare in his hands.

The object was all Toei needed to have his eyes sprang up in a pure moment of lustful bliss.

_**0000000000000000000000000000 **_

He had been racing up the stairs, trying to keep as much silence as possible. The others had already covered the other vulnerable points, erasing as much clues as possible, gathering as much information as possible. His shoulders ached like hell, but he ignored it. Finally he was facing the door of Toei's, just in time to hear that horrendous laughter of his.

But what intrigued him is that he had reached this room unscathed—

"I suggest you leave that room in peace now and play with me."

—_yet_.

_**0000000000000000000000000000 **_

_**(Muchen District.)**_

Hanagata was more than pissed off. He was still looking around in an alley, still being guarded by Tiger—lest he'd do something stupid again—and still looking for his beloved Lime in this cold, lonely night. It is of course cold, it's already nighttime and he discovered Muchen District is the colder district compared to the desert-infested Japoness.

And the more he thought of the fact that he still has not found her, the more he became pissed off. And the more he was pissed off, the more he was sulkily—and briskly—walking the blasted (A/N: I'm starting to love using this word!!) alley.

Until a soft—and short—bundle of sorts managed to bump him, catching him unaware.

He did not care that the bundle was actually a girl, that the girl murmured her apologies, that the girl was actually holding a white rosebud, that the girl continued walking with her older brother who was pleased by his sister's remarks.

He did not care for anything but _that_ remark.

The one which clearly stated, "…I already like her, onii-san, so I wouldn't mind if you'd have Lime-chan as your girlfriend."

And that was all he needed—they needed—to hear before Tiger actually jumped on the small kid—and the petrified oni-san of hers—and asked her kindly. "Uhmm…hello, girlie, well, I heard what you told your b—"

"Where the hell did you see my fiancé?!!" Hanagata screeched, his fists bunched on the collar of the poor guy.

"F-fian-ce? I do n-not k-kn—"

"You can not fool The Magnificent Hanagata, you stupid centipede!! I asked you where you found my fiancé Lime!!"

"Well if you really are Lime's fiancé you would know where she is, sucker stalker—!!"

"Tell me or else I'd peel—!!"

"Peel away yourself!! I will not endanger MY Lime to a psychotic maniac like YOU!!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but what Hanagata-san is telling you here is true."

"W-what? MY Lime is betrothed to this…this…?"

The guy's expression looked so heartbroken that Tiger all at once regretted what she said. "NO, what I mean is that we knew Lime for quite a long time and we're here to visit her but we forgot to ask her where she already lived so…"

The poor excuse was obviously poor, but the guy was oh-so obviously relieved that _his _soon-to-be Lime is not somebody else's fiancé that he bought it all, hook, line and sinker.

"Oh, she's working at the flower shop over there but unfortunately the flower shop already closed—" He was talking to himself.

"I'd go tell Cherry and the others, you better go there NOW!!" Tiger managed to say before she left Hanagata and ran for as fast as she could.

_**0000000000000000000000000000 **_

_**(KabuKi Inn.)**_

They knew it; Toei's people were concentrated on all the possible exits, leaving his best men at his side—they knew somebody was after the man. As he dug his claw deeper into the last standing man's gut and took it out, leaving the man unconscious down the floor, Siberian was half-hoping that not one of them was yet in trouble. That they could have all the grounds cleared before one of them could help Abyssinian.

"Stage One on L1, clear," Ken whispered in his communicator before scampering off to the next hallway.

He also damn hoped that their strategy to leave Abyssinian first alone with Toei won't backfire.

_**0000000000000000000000000000**_

Byrd was walking lazily towards him, his body relaxed and slacked, the bat at his right swinging slowly, forming an arc on his side. Suddenly, he smiled as he scrunched up his nose.

"Hmmm…your blood smelled nice, especially that the wound came from intense battling…did Thor did this to you?"

Aya's katana was on guard in front of him, preparing to strike once the opening showed itself, his pace slowly circling his enemy. Byrd's arc grew wider and wider.

With a yelp, both simultaneously moved. Metal clashed against metal; Byrd's bat was about to hit Aya on his wounded shoulder and Aya's katana was about to slash his gut.

Then a knocking blast erupted from the bat, catching Aya off-guard as he was thrown off to the wall with a loud bang. His wounded shoulder was opening again, with new scratches on his body. His chin drew blood. At the new sight, Byrd's laugh filled the whole room.

"Like my present?" he murmured before he moved at lightning speed, and before Aya knew it, Byrd was already raising his bat in front of him, hitting him right down to his head with utmost strength and speed.

A horrendous scream flew throughout the room.

_**0000000000000000000000000000**_

Gods. How Toei loved the show. Every part of it. He giggled intensely as he saw the girl being harshly dragged to a chair, tied tightly with the electric cords as they prepared her for the next interrogation stage.

'_Where the hell is that Doctor H—?'_

'_It doesn't matter, we can start without that weakling, right, pretty lady?'_

_The girl, with eyes like pools of green seas, only looked up at him innocently yet cautiously._

'_So, pretty girl, may we know your name?'_

'_Hai…'_

_A chuckle._

'_So, what's your name?'_

'…_Lime…'_

'_Hmm…so Lime, may we know where the maiden chip is?'_

"_I…_really_ don't know…'_

_A shot of electricity shot through her as she screamed then silently sobbed._

"Oh, cute, pure, pure, Limey…you're going to be mine…all mine now!! Your maiden chip will be my power!! MINE!! MINE!!" And he laughed once again.

Suddenly there was a smashing sound from outside the room mingling with a scream, and he suddenly dived into his drawer for his gun. He had it in his hand when the door bolted open, and one lone man came through it, breathing hard and katana in hand.

Toei saw the bloody heap on the floor outside. Byrd's hand was impaled as it lay a few meters away from his severed body. The bat was thrown on the other side. He need not know anymore. Before he could fire the gun, Mayumi beat him to it as she kicked it away from his hands. Without looking at him Aya locked him in his place by burying the katana deep in his side, cornering him.

As Toei tried to bargain for his life, he saw the man no longer looking at him, but at the video…at the very moment when Lime screamed once again, the laughter of all those men taunting them around the whole hollow room.

'_WHERE IS IT WENCH?! WHERE THE HELL IS IT?'_

'_I…promise I _really_ don't—AAHHH!!!'_

'_DO YOU REALLY WANT US TO TAKE IT INSIDE YOU OURSELVES?'_

_Lime did not speak, as she lay there, still sobbing._

Aya saw red. Blood red. Blood dead red. And he made sure Toei saw it too as he glared at him.

"How dare you…" he growled, his voice the only clue Toei needed to know of the danger he would undergo. In one instant he swung the katana into Toei's front, making the man scream.

"Wait!!" Toei pleaded with a gurgle, still clasping his blood-soaked shirt as Aya readied for his next blow. "Spare my life, please!! I'll tell you about EPI, about the second anchor, _anything!!_ Just spare my life, please—!!"

In that split second, Aya made his decision as he swung the katana with all of his strength and fired at him. He saw the blood spurt out of his chest and gut as he screamed in pain. He saw him lay flat on the floor, feeling nothing anymore as he fall along with Byrd, along with his other men, down on the floor.

It was just a matter of seconds before Aya followed suit.

**_0000000000000000000000000 _**

_**(Muchen District.)**_

"_Boke _Lime!! _Boke_! _Boke_! How many times do I have to tell you that—!!" And all that Sakura would intend to say about the proper etiquette of handling customers flew out the window as the frantic rapping of the door disturbed them.

"Lime, my darling, it's me!! Please, my darling, open up!!"

Sakura was already muttering unladylike curses about Lime's stalkers getting increasingly out of hand as she went towards the door. There were a few muffled voices outside before she stopped then proceeded towards it again.

To her surprise, the door fell down in one big thud before she could ever get her hands on it, smoke emanating from the blow and from the laser heating of the door.

Sakura lay there stunned, as a number of ladies leaped through her at a surprisingly flashing speed, and she only got more stunned as the ladies started calling out Lime's name.

"Sakura, what h—"

"Lime!! Kami-sama, Oh, Lime, we've finally found y—!!"

That was when the security alarm went off and all hell broke loose.

_**0000000000000000000000000 **_

"Manx, we really need to get him to the h—"

"I'm already calling the Kritiker physician, damnit!! We have to get to the bloody flower shop fast!!"

"Kami—!! What h—?"

"The alarm of the shop flew off!! It's under attack!!"

It took a few moments before they reached the Kritiker base and before they were hastily led to the shop's entrance hall. The three scampered to the flower shop entrance as they tried to look presentable while Manx decided to take Aya to the secret hideout, still calling the unresponsive physician, and once she fumbled with the keycard and opened the door she stopped dead in her tracks.

The next instant the door at the other end also burst open. "Godamnit Manx!! Some agents are there but nobody is ins—!!"

One. Two. Three.

"Lime!! My God, you're okay—!!"

"DON'T YOU DARE GET YOUR FILTHY HENTAI HANDS ON MY FIANCÉE, YOU ECCHI!!"

"Hanagata, no!!"

"Hanagata, stop it or we'll never have this discussion again!!"

"Enough!!" a voice admonished, before sighing. Then all scrambled for their bearings—except for one wounded man—as the adhoc Persia walked out of the darkness and made himself known. He looked through them imploringly before he uncrossed his arms, Lime and Sakura at his side with five more conspicuous-looking people. They seemed to have reached a _discussion_ until Manx and Weiss interrupted them.

_Persia_ was trying to explain the situation when, as if in a trance, Aya struggled from Manx's grip and staggered towards Lime's direction.

"AYA!!!"

"Aya-san!!"

The instant his body fell, it crashed into hers, encased in her arms, her eyes still as big as shocked saucers. Shifting slightly, he silently whispered something in her ear.

"_Get away from here. Now." _

A few breaths after, Aya lost all unconscious and strength, the disc he was holding also clattering down the floor.

_**0000000000000000000000000 **_

He was floating in the black sea of void-ness, even drowning, as he allowed himself to be so. Here there was no pain, no guilt, no killing…just nothing but a warmth he longed to have, a warmth he couldn't decipher as to where it came from. If he'd finally drown, so be it; he could drown here forever. He slowly closed his eyes to take it all in.

And then came the voice.

The voice was familiar, and it talked endlessly, always waking him up in this endless sea of darkness. Sometimes he hated it with a vengeance, for it would always put him back afloat whenever he drowned. He hated it more for when it was gone, the warmth would leave him too, and he'd be once again placed in the mercy of the despondent black sea. Not until the voice would come back again and soothe him, gradually making him long for its arrival into this dark world of his.

It was a girl's voice, full with the vibrancy of innocence and youth. It was soft and pure and with it came the smell of something like…the white rose. With it also comes the feeling of being cleansed, being healed, but most of all it was the voice, the sound which would prevail among all other senses. It talked of anything, from squirrels being seen and flowers being cut. Berries were compared to cherries and lynxes were compared to tigers. It also talked about good food and a bad cook, about rings and hugs and apologies and aprons.

It talked of very trivial things, but the voice had so much life in it as it spoke, that he couldn't help but be basked by the life it offered. When the beasts that would come to drown him further into that river of death, beasts he even wondered if some were his own self, the voice seemed to also take on exalted proportions, wiring him up to struggle and keep afloat again. With the voice he could only sleep fully, knowing that if he drowned too much, it would only get louder, clearer, enough just for him to fight back and pull himself again.

Sometimes there were many voices, some of them familiar, some of them he'd never heard of. They also talked incessantly, sometimes even drowning that girl's voice. But only that voice, that voice he could pick up among the rest, could catch his attention, and he had somehow thanked the gods that it was the same voice which would always remain and linger long before it would be gone once again.

Sometimes he longed for the voice of his sister, and at very rare times he thought he heard it faintly, too. But he knew it would never come. His sister had to wake up first. Like what he had to do.

Hearing the voice again and the very faint yet traceable splashing on his side, he dared open his eyes, and they first met the light. It was not much light, until he blearily realized that he was inside his old room. Another moment though, darkness came upon him once again as something warm yet soft was placed above his eyes. He silently growled, and true to his unspoken request, the light welcomed him back.

"Oh…gomen nasai, Aya-san…I-I didn't intend to…Aya-san?"

He tried to fight back the blur in his eyes as he tried to focus, and the light was covered as a silhouette descended upon him, sea green eyes watering up in happiness.

…_Imouto…?_

"Aya-san? You're finally awake!!"

He couldn't register enough now. Not even the voice, not even the warmth, not even the blinding light. All he could see are those sea-green orbs shining in happiness and relief.

"Lime," he breathed silently.

00

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00

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A/N: Finally, it's done!! It took me…what…two days to finally have it finished!! Yehey!! So, what can you say, guys and gals? Comments, suggestions and reviews are more than welcome, thank you so don't forget the review please!!

And, oh, won't you seriously reconsider my suggestion of a new year's resolution?

THOMP!!

Oh, yeah, right, I'm not pushing it!!


	13. Stirring

**A/N: **

To hell with waiting for reviews when there are others who wanted this chapter already (I've been worried about _that _trout!!)!! I promise to finish this, and this chapter had been waiting for so long to get posted!!! So here it is!! Gals—you know who you are—this is for you!! Hope you'll like this!!! (And I hope my writing this time is better after watching a lot of anime)

Yes…in this chapter, those clues will come into greater number!!! And I know that you can catch up on them for sure!!

So please review!!!

…

…

**WARNING/DISCLAIMER:**

Slight OOC's are inevitable…that's my so-called work of the imagination!!

_There is nothing to claim, only my own brain!!_

…

…

**S.T.I.R.R.I.N.G**

…

…

Three days. Three days after his awakening and a lot has already changed.

He was wearing Kudou's apron and was busy himself with the crowd of girls who are careful on him for they knew through Lime-chan that their Aya-sama got into _another_ _accident. _He silently watched the lady florist without stopping his own actions for a few minutes already…all the while thinking about the fact that her sisters and so-called _fiancée_ will take her away from them soon. And that this present action would only become a memory.

"Ha-O!! Welcome to Bisshie-Bisshie Flower Shop!! What can I do for you, Kawaii Redhead-chan—_ooooh_, you have Aya-kun's hair!! _Weeeeeee_!!! Aya-kun, look!!"

Aya only ignored her, as the customers—the _lady_ customers—started looking at Lime-chan distastefully. While said teen's face was as red as his hair as the lady florist, who was still bent on wearing Aya-_kun_'s apron, dramatically took his hand and shook it. "Uh…ahehehe…eh…I would like to have a bit of those—"

And before the teen knew it, he was _glomped_ and embraced _quite_ tightly by the cute florist who just _coincidentally_ smelled like white roses.

"_OWEEEEEEE_!! Kawaii Redhead-chan wants roses!! How much would you want?"

If _Niwa Daisuke_'s face could get any redder by the envious and amused looks some customers gave him, he surely is getting at it. "…h-how much would a dozen cost?"

"A dozen of _kawaii_ roses would be—_aiieeeeeeee_!!"

"_**YAAAAAAA!!!"**_

Daisuke gulped as a very large booted foot suddenly _stomped_ between the two of them, and he was now facing a red-eyed, vein-throbbing face of a man whose blonde hair was metro-sexually dressed with hair gel just to make it look like _that_.

He gulped again. Then his hairs had stood on end at the still-looking-at-him-as-if-he'd-tear-_Dark_-out-from-his-system _weird guy_ who was still looking-at-him-as-if-he'd-tear-_Dark_-out-from-his-system…_as if_ that is _quite_ possible to begin with.

Lime blinked. And blinked. And sweat dropped, as well. And blinked, while she poked at the back of the _intruder_ who was still between her and her _customer. _"Eh…a-ara…Hanagata-chan?"

"DON'T WORRY, MY KOISHII, I WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THIS—_**THIS**_—**ECCHI**!!AND _**YOU**_!! DON'T_**YOU**_DARE LAY A FINGER ON_**MY**_** KOISHII** OR I'LL INCAPACITATE _**YOU**_—_**OWWWWW**_**!!"**

"_Baka_ Hanagata!! How many times do I have to tell you to stop harassing our hosts' customers??! Sumimasen, customer-san!!"

"_BUT HE WAS TOUCHING MY LIME'S PRECIOUS HANDS, CHERRY-NEESAN—__**OWWW**_"

"I am not your 'Cherry-neesan'!!! And what are you doing here intruding on our hosts' business _AGAIN_????"

"Why, protecting my fiancée from perverts, of course—_**ITAIIIII**_!!!!!!"

And now, even the customers suddenly stopped and looked at the commotion with curiosity—and surprisingly, nonchalance—while the poor teen named Niwa Daisuke had turned pale as his eyes darted off from one point to the next.

"MY IMOUTO—_**WHACK!)**_—IS NOT YOUR FIANCÉE—_**WHACK!)**_—AND YOU DO NOT HARRASS CUSTOMERS—_**WHACK!)**_—OR I'LL REALLY INCAPACITATE YOU MYSELF!!"

"In-ca—inca—what's that word again, Cherry-neechan, Hanagata-chan?"

"It's Hana-_koi_, Lime-airen-swaammaa, Hana-_koi_—_**OWWWWW**_!!!"

And Lime was left out in her 'confused blinking' state again, _entirely_ forgetting what she was about to do as she still pondered on the _"inca—"_ word like it was some new tanuki species she hadn't heard of yet (to her absolute glee)—AND this _entirely_ spells "BAD NEWS" from a still gulping customer whose name was Niwa Daisuke and whose presence was left out in the hanging, not really knowing what to do.

Hidaka Ken, who had just entered but had nonetheless heard the commotion even from the room he was in, knew he had to resolve it. "Can I help you with anything?" The relief in the teen's eyes was all Ken needed to know he had done the right thing.

It's practically the kind of scene people would expect in the flower shop these past few days, and yet they never ceased coming here. The _original_ florists could only settle for an explanation that these _people_ were their new tenants. It seemed that these four gentlemen are trying to explore other businesses when they temporarily opened a boarding house, which was unfortunately already occupied (much to the dismay of some _aspiring_ tenants. Aya wondered how Yohji could still snigger at their unfortunate situation.)

But it didn't seem to matter—in fact, the number of their customers had _grown_, even. A very good source of Vitamin A is, after all, very hard to find. Not only could they be fed with the sight of four hot guys already, they also could have a peek or two at some lovely faces, both male and female. _Especially_ the very cute and lovely new florist, Lime-chan.

After attending to his customer, who is another addition to his fan club, Aya looked at Cherry who practically dragged that love-struck, over-possessive, over-amorous, self-imposed _fiancée _of her imouto back to the kitchen, the oversized wooden spoon she used frequently on Hanagata's head still hanging in one of her hands. When it came to these new _tenants_ of theirs, Aya would always have room to wonder (he preferred _suspect_ but decided against it). These _maidens_ are a marvel with their strength and speed—no matter how much they tried to control it. After all, Yohji did say that the fixing of their broken door could have taken them the _whole_ day if not for that redhead friend of Lime's who'd come to help.

It must have been something to do with those maiden chips (for how could a _maiden _chip be given to a _male? _That may be why their guys seemed_…more normal_).

"Ha-O, Tasuki-kun!! Welcome to Bisshie-Bisshie Flower Shop!! How may I help you?" Lime was again talking to one red-faced customer and made her customary hyper tour of the shop before she got his orders. He couldn't take his eyes off her this time while thinking of the tape he held that must have broken this innocent and pure spirit he had been watching this moment…

But no. Until now, nobody would want to tell him—maybe because he wasn't asking—whathappened to her when she had seen the tape. All he could see is the same spirit. The same hopeful, friendly spirit. The same cheerful presence. The same smile. The same enthusiastic eyes which made everything she's seen look like one wonder after another. The same naïveté which made her freely strut around naked and change into _his _clothes—if he was never careful to knock _first_. The same innocence which made her just as comfortably sleep with him in _his _room but at least not on the same _bed_. The same fingers which never fail to poke him to wakefulness. The same sing-songy, lively voice which never failed to shut up before she sleeps and say its "HA-O!!" to everyone in her greetings. The same aura of life. The same insatiable curiosity and energy.

And he had to see them all because his co-assassins—and Persia—just wouldn't let him leave the flower shop just yet so he could stay in the comfort of his Gindo home. And that would let him see her be taken away without his queries and worries being answered.

He wondered if she had remembered _everything_ then. And if she also remembered him _before_. Him and his true name.

_It_ only gave out that _stronger_ stirring that seemed to come from inside of him. He first thought that it was only guilt…but realized it was something stronger, something uncontrollable if it soon explodes…something he knew he had never felt before. That kind of stirring made him want to protect her. He wanted to ruthlessly mutilate those men who had hurt her and who had tainted her innocence and her pure soul with their lustful, power-driven hands. He never wanted to see those scars marring her smooth, lush skin. He never wanted to see a tremor of fear on those laughing lips of hers. He never wanted to see her dead eyes again especially after having a glimpse of how much vibrance and color they could convey. He wanted to make sure she'd never revert to that dull, lifeless doll she had once become. He wanted to…

And just like some driving force on earth, she turned her head to his way, and when seeing him, smiled and waved with a blush easily radiating on her cheeks. "Aya-kuuunnnnnn!!" Her eyes had that sparkle he hadn't seen so alive before, not until she had seen that man named Otaru and her sisters.

And everyone seemed to turn and look at him. He could see his co-assassin's bemused and curious looks, while all the others bore envy. He looked away. This stirring…the lady's smiles and eyes had already been starting to rub off on him. Ever since that day.

But he knew he shouldn't be. After all, they are about to leave in a week.

…

…

_He had just woken up and couldn't register enough what had happened. Not even the voice, not even the warmth, not even the blinding light. _

"_You," he breathed silently._

_But more was he shocked to see the relief in her face, eyes welling up with unkempt happiness. An expression he thought was only reserved by kids who had just opened up their presents and had adored what they had seen._

"_Oweeeeeee, Aya-kuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnn is awake!!"_

_And she had easily flung her arms carelessly at his neck while _jumping_ on his bed, making him grunt as his air was unceremoniously cut off. The grunt only made the girl squeak in happiness once again, taking it as a proof that he was alive. Her squeal may also be the reason why his door was suddenly bolted open a few seconds after, as his co-assassins and some others stormed in on them._

"_Fujimiya!! Thank God, you're aw—Lime!!"_

"_Kami—Lime-chan, do n—!!"_

"_DO NOT TOUCH MY LIME-SWWAAAMA YOU—OWWWW!!!"_

"_Shut up, baka—imouto-chan!! Stop that, you're killing Fujimiya-san!!"_

_His mind was not yet _fully_ working, he knew. From his still blurring vision, he could still see that most of her blood had been pooled to her cheeks, giving out a quite amusing-to-look blush. Only that their situation—and position—wasn't quite amusing. He grunted once again, and this time, he didn't even bother to hide what he was feeling, making the other lady in question suddenly tense—probably from _finally_ realizing what she had done—and easily jump away from him, as if burned. _

"_Ara!! Ano…ahehehe…" Her blush only heightened in mortification while scratching her head, sniffing. "…a-no…ehe…I'll now bring Cherry-neechan's tea and food and medicine!! Ja!!"_

_The next instant, any sign of her presence was gone, signaled by the soft banging of the door. It was not a few moments later when the rest followed, a trail of soft excuses and apologies being muttered before they left him with his co-assassins. At first it was only a moment of silence, not really knowing where to start, before Aya finally sighed._

"_How long?" His throat still felt coarse._

"_You were unconscious the whole week. You have been poisoned," Ken answered for all of them. "We were lucky Lorelei-sensei is very familiar of the drug that had poisoned you so you were treated as soon as possible."_

_Before Aya could say anything, Yohji beat him to it. "No, Aya,_ they_ aren't spies." _

_He glared. "I am asking where the tape is. Did _she_ see it?"_

"_Manx already sent the tape to the Kritiker base to have it examined so we could plot our next move." Nobody was willing to answer the second question._

_Aya grit his teeth despite the pain. "Kudou. What happened to _her_?" _

_But it also seemed that nobody was willing to answer this question, too._

"_We better let you rest. Then we'll talk in the morning."_

_He frowned at that, until somebody else knocked at the door. After Ken told the person to come in, Cherry had entered, bringing with him a tray of his dinner and medicine. Aya then realized that he had never seen this woman before. Or even those who had barged in his room. Yes, he knew at least that they were Lime's companions. And Lime…didn't she tell him she'd bring that tray herself?_

"_Sumimasen for interrupting," she softly muttered with a bow._

"_It's alright, Cherry-chan. You haven't interrupted anything," Omi had assured her on their behalf. _

_The pink-haired woman then turned to him, stopping his thoughts before it could lead to somewhere he wouldn't want to go._

"_Fujimiya-san, here is your dinner. I cooked something light so your stomach wouldn't get upset. The tea should be enough as your medicine now, though imouto-chan did leave you a jar of salve for your wounds. Oh—I left imouto-chan in the kitchen so dinner will be served in a minute or two, Omi-kun."_

_They definitely saw Omi flush a little before he answered, "Arigatou, Cherry-chan."_

_And with that, Cherry went out, leaving the tray behind. Yohji couldn't stop the smirk and the teasing glint from coming out of his eyes. "Omi-kun? Cherry-chan?"_

"_Sh-shut up."_

"_If I were you, you start eating your food," Ken interrupted before his co-assassins could start off with one of their usual brawls once again, his eyes focusing on Aya. "We need you to recover fast for a lot of ground needs to covered—we can't do that without the info you have."_

"_Then we better start—"_

"_Just a piece of advice, Fujimiya. If I were you, treasure every moment while you're still here in this refuge you call a bed. You need all the strength you could get before going outside." His co-assassins would have snickered if Ken wasn't just too serious talking, though they all could see the amusement just running across the corners of his lips._

"_That was too blunt, Hidaka Ken-san," Yohji half-crooned._

"_I wouldn't call chaos any other way. Though its company is quite…amusing." He looked at Aya once again then crooked his head towards a muffled voice from the door. That is, if you categorize 'muffled voice' with 'sharp screech'. A very sharp screech. _

_Aya voiced his suspicion with his eyes._

"_Looks like we also have to eat, too," Yohji continued as he gave out a small, sly smile before all of them turned to left. "We _will_ talk in the morning, Fujimiya. Ja."_

_It was a few seconds already since they left him and he had already turned to his tray for his food. With a few bites he had soon realized that he was not feeling as groggy as before—he actually felt better. And the tea was one of the better-tasting ones he had. _

_Placing his spoon down, he silently sighed, trying to evade foggy memories of a certain voice that didn't seem to know how to shut up. Now that he's fully awake, he already exactly knew whose voice it was. He couldn't help it—and maybe he could blame it for his drugged state—but slightly quirk in amusement._

_And relief, realizing that he was _still_ alive._

_And maybe it was the realization that he was alive which made him act a little off-tangent and slightly smile in amusement—though knowing him, it couldn't even be seen._

_He once again heard the increasing muffled screams and loud bangs and sharp—very clear and sharp—screams and curses. Piqued, intrigued, and perhaps a little irritated, he strained his ears to catch more, listening to whatever chaos the others must have hinted at him and had faced right now._

"—but I just want to see Lime-airen-swaama, Cherry-neesaaaaaaaan!!"

"My, my, Hanagata. Aren't my busts big enough for your full attention, hmmm?"

"Shut the _f—k_ up, Bloodberry—OOWWWWWWW!!!"

"That is no way to treat a leady, you _gay-turned-male_ smut!!"

"HAH!! I REALLY SHOULD EXPECT SOMETHING UNLADYLIKE FROM YOU—**IYAAAA**!!"

"DON'T YOU_—__**(BANG!!)**__—_UNDERESTIMATE_—__**(BANG!)**__—_ME_—__**(BANG!)**__—_YOU—!!"

"Hanagata-san, Bloodberry-san, please…we really should not over-abuse our hosts' hospitality—"

"Uhh…Bloodberry-san, I really do not think—"

"Owww, couldn't you get any cuter with you gulping like that, **my** Hidaka Ken-chan—!!"

"Oi, Bloodberry, I want one of your hospitalities, too—"

"Yohji, please."

"Doesn't mean that just because you can't appreciate beauty, I also have to be like you, too, Omi-kun."

"**And** what can you get from a pervert anyway, Omi? Just leave him be."

"But, Manx—"

"Oi, Manx, seriously you can't be that jealous. And it's been quite a while before we had this kind of AMUSEMENT, right, Lime-chan?"

"Hai, Oji-san—!! Ano, dinner is ready!!"

"It's Yohji-niisan, Lime-chan, Yohji-niisan. And thank y—"

"GET AWAY FROM MY LIME-AIREN-SWAMA, YOU—YOU—!!"

"Hanagata!! You have no right to treat our hosts like that!"

"_Just_ because I had a crush on you before, Otaru-_baka_, that I wouldn't beat you like a pump myself for interrupting m—_**OWWWW**_!!"

"I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO SMACK YOU, HANAGATA-S—"

"HAH!! YOUR PAINS CANNOT STOP ME FROM PROTECTING MY SOULMATE, TIGER-CHAN—"

"Eh…Hanagata-chan?"

"YESSSSSSS, LLIIIIMMEEEEE-AAAAAIIIREEEEEENNNN-SWAAAMMMAAA???"

"Lime-chan is hungry."

"But, MY L-lime-airen-swama—"

_A sound of something akin to a loud rumble could be heard—and it definitely came from Lime's tummy (surprisingly, even from Aya's room). Pause._

"**I'm** rrreeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyy hungry, Hanagata-chan."

GULP. "Oh…hai, hai, Lime-airen-sw—"

_And it was just like that when the commotion stopped altogether at the mention of food. And from his room, he heard the silence once again._

_He was so engrossed by what had happened that he had forgotten the fact that Lime had called him Aya-_**kun**.

… … …

_When he woke up in the morning, the first thought that came to his mind was if someone had mistaken him to be dead. Then that would somehow explain why someone had been testing his body _if _it was still alive. He moved slightly to assure that he was indeed alive, so that the annoying poking _and giggling_ would finally stop…then realized that there _shouldn't _be _someone_ scurrying around _his_ room to poke and giggle at all. He turned his head and met the vibrant, sea-green eyes he only knew too well._

"_Oooohhhhhhhhh, Aya-kun is awake again!!!" The voice was loud, but surprisingly, he found it to be a pleasant loud. Aya could only blink._

"_Ha-O, Aya-kun!!!" And it was of course paired with that odd leg-raising move of hers. Before he could say a word, she hopped around, happily singing tunes about how 'Aya-kun was finally awake' and how 'Aya-kun finally opened his eyes'. At first he didn't know where she was heading until he saw _how_ she had opened up _his _old closet to get a batch of _his _old clothes. _

_The second thought that came to him was: the hell???_

_He couldn't even bring himself to admit that he was amused by what the woman-child was doing._

_She turned around to meet his slightly shocked eyes again with one of her arm-stretching gestures and her sunny smiles. "Cherry-neechan said that breakfast is almost ready so Lime-chan should wake you up first before she takes her bath. Ara, ara, a bath!! I'm going to bath again!! Ja, Aya-kun!!" _

_The third comprehensible thought that came out from him was: how did she learn to talk like _that

_And just like that, she had bolted out of _his room. _He didn't even want to know where she had slept all these times…but judging from her previous actions, he already knew where. He had silently groaned before he could even stop himself. Why weren't she sleeping with her_ friends_ as she's supposed to be doing? (Probably because she was _still_ watching you, Aya-_kun

_A few minutes later, he prepared for the day as well. Since he had stayed here the whole week, he had no choice but to use his old clothes, deciding to use the bathroom in their secret hideout lest he risk bumping into a probably still towel-clad lady…since he was _sure_ that they had been sharing _his _old room. _

_He really did not like where his first thoughts are heading right now. _

_The flower shop was closed on that day. After the not so quiet breakfast and a quick introductions of a sort—he finally knew these two other girls were Lime's sisters—and after things settled down a bit, Manx had easily slid into the house, a smug look in her face._

"_Why, don't we all look domestic here?" she slyly asked as a form of greeting._

_And that was, curiously, all she needed to say before everybody—except Weiss—made their excuses and left them so they could meet with her on the secret hideout. Aya hadn't expected that—perhaps he really had missed a lot after a week. _

_But Aya didn't expect to see Persia and one unidentifiable lady to be there as well._

"_I personally requested Manx to bring Doctor Lorelei here," Persia started as if reading his thoughts. "She is the inventor of the maiden chip both Emishi and the Third Anchor had been so furiously after."_

_They saw the glimmer of a glare that rose in Aya's features. This woman doctor was the inventor of the maiden chip? The reason why Lime—?_

"_Emishi Mayumi is already in our custody. As for the rest of Toei's team, I had the rest of Weiss extinguish them while you were healing, Abyssinian. Doctor Lorelei's _friends _helped as well." _

"_It was the least we can do after all the trouble, Persia-san," Lorelei answered in her soft-spoken voice. "It was the least we could do for our Lime-chan."_

_Something _boiling_ seemed to rise in Aya's gut. How could she be Lime's friend if she had indirectly caused all those burns in her wrists and, pray tell, to other parts as well?_

_And as if on cue, Manx reported accounts from Weiss' experiences about Emishi and Toei, Lorelei-san's narration of their discoveries and Kritiker's previous breakthroughs about KMN and Mayumi Emishi (A/N: to get the detailed information, read the previous chapters…insert smiley). _

_And the reports only made his sudden dislike for this lady doctor—together with that Omi look-alike—increase steadily. He somehow knew—he _just knew_—that these two were part of the reason why Lime had to run away from her home and her sisters and get trapped by the clutches of Doctor Hess and Emishi's team._

"_Doctor Lorelei." The lady doctor had flinched at the tone of Aya's voice. "_What_ is a maiden chip?"_

"_I'm afraid that I already made arrangements with Doctor Lorelei about the disclosing of any information about the maiden chip for purposes of tight security," Persia explained in the doctor's behalf. "The maiden chip is powerful but very dangerous if given to the wrong hands. Therefore, only I, Doctor Lorelei and Doctor Hess _should_ know about its _true essence_, and we agreed that it would stay that way unless Doctor Lorelei wishes it no more. She will be the one who will tell Lime about the maiden chip _in her due time. _KMN had been trying so hard to get our tails, but Weiss and Lorelei's team had done their job well on extinguishing any traces of Emishi's and Toei's teams. Lime had been securely protected as well, giving us an approximately two-week advantage against them."_

"_Did she see the tape?" Aya continued insistently, startling Manx and his co-assassins in the process. He was supposed to be hired to only kill and not to know—but this was one information he needed to know, and _not _as a member of Weiss._

_However, Persia and Doctor Lorelei seemed to understand him. "We had to," the lady doctor managed, as if she regretted to have done it. But like she said, they had to._

_And Lime wanted to know. Lime _needed_ her memories. Kritiker needed her 'report', too._

And what happened to her? Did she remember everything? Did she tell you about me?_ He had wanted to ask, but once again decided against it and kept silent._

"_Don't worry, Fujimiya-san, we are trying our very best to help her recover easily."_

"_If you have no more questions, Abyssinian, I would like to get your report about your encounter with Toei," Persia ordered firmly._

_His answer was stiff and clear-cut. The only slight opening he mentioned was the phone call._

"_The one who gave that call was not KMN. Or they would've done their action now," Manx stated._

"_It's better to be careful. I'll have that checked. In the meantime, we continue monitoring KMN's moves," Persia concluded. "Is there anything more, Abyssinian?"_

_When he was met with silence, Persia now gave his attention to the lady doctor. "And now, about Doctor Lorelei's _concerns_…"_

"_Yes, Persia-san…we have decided that we couldn't leave for Japoness just yet, knowing that these people are on the maiden chip's tail. We also like to take full responsibility about this matter, so we decided that it's better that we'd work separately, but not exclusively."_

_Stunned silence. A few raised eyebrows on Kudou Yohji's part. "Is there a reason why this decision has been made?" Persia asked slowly, measuring the possibility and security of such action._

"_After Cherry studied all her computed probabilities, she decided that it's better that we split so the attention of the enemy wouldn't be more…concentrated in just one location. And concentrate on _us_. Also, if the enemy really wanted the maiden chip, they could as well get it from _our_ territory…we really do not want to cause any more trouble. I also have complete faith on my team, Persia-san, so we could protect Lime-chan just fine."_

"_Yes, I can see that. Do you have any objections?" Persia looked at Weiss inquiringly. _

_Even if they did, they really didn't have the right to. Omi shook his head silently. "Very well. So…when do you plan to…separate?"_

"_Cherry-chan already had a few chosen grounds inspected. With our work at the hospital and with a few preparations, a week will be enough to get settled in a new place." _

"_But if something happens…"_

_And Lorelei smiled calmly at that. "That is why we stressed that we wouldn't be working _exclusively._ If such drastic measures must be taken, we will not hesitate to call on for your help for we understand your work and we value your honor. We are also very grateful for the help you have extended to our Lime-chan despite those circumstances."_

"_It was our duty, Doctor Lorelei," Manx said grimly, "Though we are regretful that we haven't seen the connection of our cases earlier than intended."_

"_There is no need for apologies, we could only take so much…and…Persia-san…I know that this may seem imposing, but…could I ask one more favor from you?" _

"_Unfortunately, Lorelei-san, that would depend on what you're asking for," he answered severely, brows knitted in curiosity._

"_I've heard from Lime-chan that Miss Manx had her blood checked and you've found out about the drug. Manx-san, Persia-san, my favor will be hard on both our parts…but I was hoping that you grant me this request: can you not mention about the blood sample to _them yet_?"_

"_But why? Aren't they your friends?"_

"_That is exactly the reason why they shouldn't know about it _yet_. It's the same reason why I only disclosed about the maiden chip to Persia. This…event…had been an unexpected shock to us, and I wanted to tell them myself in my own time. After all, _I_ made the maiden chip, and it should be best that they learn more about it from me."_

…

…

He saw their last customer leave before closing the door of the shop. Out of routine, he had instinctively accepted the cash box with the money Lime had already gathered from the register before looking away. Ken had just brought the new deliveries of flowers inside while Yohji, Omi and Lime cleaned and arranged them. Business was getting steadily better. And it was relatively quiet at last. It was time for a calming bath.

He was still flinching in pain, but he was stubborn, so he went back inside for a towel and a change of clothes. When he rounded back to a corner, he saw Cherry set the table with _lightning speed_.

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes," she announced to no one in particular while she continued with her work.

From their last meeting, he knew that _that_ Omi look-alike and the lady doctor—Lorelei-san—now work in a hospital, still trying to cure their other sick kid companion who was as eager to see her Lime-neechan. The other tenants are nowhere to be found. He had just opened the bathroom door when he saw the other guy—the Omi look-alike—get out of the other room. Yohji, Omi and Ken shared a room just so they could accommodate their guests. Apparently he and the lady doctor already returned from work as well. When the man sensed that he had been watching him, he raised his arm in greeting.

"Oi," was all he said. Aya merely nodded before going inside.

He didn't particularly like that man. And that lady doctor as well. Seeing them only made his blood slightly boil, though he always refused to acknowledge it. He wanted to place her anger and blame on Lime's pain to anything, to anyone, and these two suspicious-looking people had easily become his prey. Seeing them only made him remember how much he had learned on that morning.

The bathroom door closed in a soft creek, closing any unpleasant visions he had seen.

… … …

The shower gave out icy trickles down his tensed muscles. His face was unreadable. For a few moments, he raised his face, closed his eyes and met the chilling sensation brought by the cold, glacial rain before he continued staring at the ceiling past the showerhead.

He wondered which was colder, the shower or his imouto's unconscious heart.

Then he remembered that warm voice and that calming, invigorating presence.

He realized he had been longing for warmth after a very long time.

…

…

When he went out the bathroom door—now donned in a cleaner set of clothes—and was heading for dinner, still deep in thought, he saw Lorelei and Lime about to enter the guest room they were using. Seeing her again made him dwell on what the doctor had informed them three days ago. That they were leaving. Finally leaving.

The thought didn't go very well with him.

He could hear _her_ animated chatter even with the thick wall between them. It was probably the usual daily check-up given by Doctor Lorelei. She was trying to gauge Lime's recovery rate after the little lady had known about the truth.

Suddenly curious—and a bit suspicious—he used his skills so he could listen more without being detected by the two. (A/N: Isha means 'doctor' in Japanese…or at least that's what the dictionary told me…_smiley here_)

_Lime:Lime-chan is one-hundred-percent healthy and happy, Isha-chan!!_

_Isha:That's good to hear. May I look at your wounds?_

_Lime:Hai, Isha-chan!!_

_Isha:Hmm. They are healing perfectly, Lime-chan. And if you continue putting on that cream I told you, the scars would be unrecognizable in no time._

_Lime:Ooooohhhh…Lime-chan is happy to hear that from Isha-chan!!_

_Isha:And I'm glad to hear _**that**.

_Lime:N-nani?_

_Isha:Oh…nothing, Lime-chan…it's just that this is the first time I heard you call yourself 'Lime-chan' again. And you've called me 'Isha-chan' once again. And it's just that…when I finally get to see you that time, you were different._

_Lime:Eh…different?_

_Isha:Yes. But right now I'm just happy that our Lime-chan is returning to her true self little by little, ne? Don't worry, Lime-chan…Isha-chan and all of us will be here to help you. From now on, you are no longer alone. _

_Lime:A-arigatou, Isha-chan…and sumi—_

_Isha:No, no, no…you will not apologize, Lime-chan, I should be the one—_

_Lime:Iie, Isha-chan!! Lime-chan is already happy that Otaru-sama loves a very kind person like Isha-chan!! I…I may be a bit sad about it before but now, I'm different!!_

_Isha:Arigatou, Lime-chan…wait; now that you mention it…have you noticed any changes in yourself while you were here? Like dysfunctions, lost abilities…_

_Lime:Uhm…I couldn't even easily sense the exact locations of certain people already unless they're extremely close, Isha-chan…_

_Isha:That could just be a side-effect of the drug you've taken five days ago, Lime-chan._

_Lime:Ara…then there was a time when I _think_ I was really annoyed at Omi-kun because he's trying to wake me up, and Omi-kun keeps bothering me to wake up but Lime-chan doesn't want to wake up yet…do you think my maiden chip was burned too bad that I reacted like that?_

_Isha:B-Burned too bad? What do you mean?_

_Lime:Nani?_

_Isha:You said your maiden chip…that it was burned too bad…what made you think so?_

_Lime:Oh…Lime-chan said that?_

_Isha:G-Go on._

_Lime:And there was also a time when…_

_Isha:Is that why you're blushing right now?_

_Lime:Ara!!! A-ano…it's just that Lime-chan was trying to wake Omi-kun and run away from Ken-chan while trying to catch Oji-san…and I was really running fast and I _know_ that Aya-kun was there in front of me and was trying to stop me…and…and Lime-chan _allowed_ him but I don't know why!!! Then I felt his hands and I felt all too tingly I can't move…I-Isha-chan!!!_

_Isha:Sumimasen, Lime-chan. Nothing's wrong with your maiden chip—in fact it's working very perfectly. It's just that…_

_Lime:I-isha-chan!! You're laughing again!!_

At the sound of _her_ words, and at the sound of Lorelei-san's laughter, Aya decided that he did not wish to hear any more. But that didn't end the fact that just like the now-blushing little lady—as Lorelei-san had so pointed out—he was also feeling _tingly_ all over, too, at the simple mention of that certain event.

Only that he knew it was more of a _meaningful_ stirring from deep inside of him than that of a simple tingle. And that person is saying goodbye.

_Damn it, what's happening, to you, Abyssinian??_

…

…

Dinner was surprisingly silent. Lorelei was softly smiling a knowing smile, Lime was hastily eating her dinner with a big blush on her cheeks, and Hanagata continued to glare daggers and fireballs at anyone he sees _offending_ to his Lime-airen-swama and Bloodberry-neechan, Cherry-neechan and _loyal _Tiger—she decided to become Lime's second shadow/bodyguard to protect her friend—had seen to it that Hanagata wouldn't do anything _but _eat.

After dinner, Yohji made the suggestion, and Lime practically squealed in happiness and dragged Hanagata—much to his saccharine ecstasy—and went to the rooftop to look out for the stars. After Lime scampered off and Tiger followed suit, the rest left off to do their other duties while Lorelei and her _team_ had settled to the room the gentlemen had given them.

When everybody had taken their seats, Lorelei blurted out without preamble, "She's ready to meet Doctor Hess."

"I hope you do not mean that," Otaru had said just as tactlessly, his brows already meeting. Lorelei sighed.

"I've just talked with Lime, and after I cured her with the drug and made her see the tape, this was the first time she made mention about the event. She told me about her maiden chip which seems to burn, and I believe she's referring to those electric spells they had given her at Sapporo. She's ready to move on, Otaru, and I know that she wanted to see her Doctor Hess already. Besides, you knew that Yumeji wanted to see her, too."

"But that doctor—"

"—is someone who Lime sees as a father. Don't you see? We all may have a conjured image of what Doctor Hess is but that doesn't change what the doctor had been to her. Didn't all of you tell me that she'd been asking us about him? We decided to wait until she made another reference to what happened to her to make sure we didn't rush her that much. Well, here is the reference we'd all been looking for!!" They all sensed the frustration growing in the lady doctor's words, then wondered if the lady was more affected to see Lime than she ever let on.

"Well…if you say so…" Bloodberry said lazily. "If it is safe that we let her out now…"

"She'd already gone out a couple of times delivering flowers, Bloodberry-neechan," Cherry reminded her easily, happy that she had outsmarted her older sister once again. Then in seriousness, she turned to Lorelei-san. "I only want what's best for my imouto. We will go with her then. Lorelei-san, do you plan to make them meet tomorrow?"

The doctor, who was still having a battle of wits with Otaru, had only startlingly blinked at her. "…h-hai."

"Then I want to personally tell my imouto-chan about the news!!" And Cherry had easily jumped up and went for the door.

"Matte!! Lime-chan is not just your imouto-chan, Cherry-chan!! Wait!!" And in a flash, they left Otaru and Lorelei to settle their issues once again. Even if they do it without a word.

So obviously, when Lime heard about the news that Cherry had just told her, she was so ecstatic that she didn't mind she was jumping _on_ the _roof_. Not until her Bloodberry-neechan had saved her from falling for the _fifth time_ and had screamed at her did she stop in her jumping gestures, but she was still ecstatic about it.

At least they were careful that the roof did not give in.

"Owwwweeeeee!!! Lime-chan is gong to meet Doctor Hess-chan!!! I must tell Omi-kun and Ken-chan and Oji-san and Aya-kun!!" And the girl was gone in an instant, with Tiger following silently just behind her.

"L-Lime-airen-swama!! WAIT FOR ME!!"

And the stars were forgotten in an instant.

A few grating, scratching and _bumping _sounds later and Cherry and Bloodberry were officially alone. "Our Lime-chan had been quite close with Fujimiya-san, hadn't she, Bloodberry-neechan?"

"Couldn't blame her!! I would take that hot guy myself if he's just not so _frigid_!! I still couldn't see how Lime could sleep with him in one room!!"

"Nani…you really could be a _baka_ and a _boke _sometimes, Bloodberry-neechan!! First you tell me he's hot, and next you tell me he's frigid??"

"You're the baka!! I'm only saying that I like my men to be sly, sexy and _talkative_!!"

"You mean Kudou-san."

"Hah!! And you with that Omi-kun who's just like a computer geek like you!!"

"S-stop changing the subject."

"Yare, yare. All I'm saying is that I obviously DO NOT like the types of Fujimiya because he _bores_ me!!"

"…nani?"

"Oh, my innocent, wifely Cherry-chan!! Just like kawaii Omi-kun!! This vacation is turning out to be fun, fun, fun after all!! It's just so sad that we have to leave—"

"Nee-chan!! I am not innocent AND wifely. _And _I'm just happy that at least Lime-chan hadn't focused much on Lorelei-sensei _and_ Otaru-sama."

"How could she after all that's happened to her? And then there's her Aya-kun she's so smitten of."

"Hai, hai. That's why I did not totally disagree that she meets Doctor Hess. He makes her happy."

"Baka Lime-chan. She's meeting with the enemy and she's _happy_??"

"Admit it. You find our 'baka' imouto adorable, too, nee-chan. Oh, my, I could just remember how you destroyed Bisshie-Bisshie Flower Shop's door and our table just to look for our imouto-chan!! I'm so proud of you, baka oneechan!!"

"SHUT UP!!!"

…

…

"_Aya-kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!"_

He could hear her running footsteps coming to his room. Finally he heard the swinging and the closing of _his _door and saw her flushed, happy face.

"Aya-kun—!!!!"

And the door swished open again. "I will not leave you _this time_, Lime-airen-swama. Not anymore. From this time I will not be inclined to be dragged away from y—_**WMMPPPHHH!!!!!!**_"

Tiger had just easily gagged Hanagata's mouth with a cloth she had gotten somewhere (probably Yohji's socks) and had tied Hanagata _within _a cocoon-type of wrap before she carried the still struggling man. "Sumimasen, Lime-chan, Fujimiya-san, we will not disturb you in your rest for much longer. Good night."

Three seconds have already passed when the door had been softly closed. Lime blinked, then just as instantly squealed and, in one jump, reached Aya's edge of the futon, effectively looming on the guy. Her silhouetted frame covered his, and he only stared through her as if she was never standing there. Lime couldn't help but giggle. Crouching low and hugging her legs, she bent her neck a little lower, so her face was only inches away from his.

He couldn't escape those imploring, innocent eyes and lively smile this time.

But he couldn't face her just yet. Not like this. Not with guilt. Not with frustration.

And not with this stirring that's starting to get stronger…

"_OI-AYA-KUN!!! OI-AYA-KUN!!!_"

She had officially started her torture to the unresponsive _roommate _of hers. She started poking him in his 'safe, uninjured areas' while she finally talked, in her giggled breath, about something he could only guess as nonsense. He half-listened as she rattled and squealed animatedly about how the stars had been different and how she missed her Poneko-chan and Yumeji-chan already and how she could finally see him and Doctor Hess—_that caught his attention_—again because Cherry-neechan and Bloodberry-neechan will take her to them.

Then after that, she left another string of nonsense chattering once again.

"Oi, Aya-k—"

He glared at her in full-force this time. And sure enough, Lime blushed, as if remembering something, and clamped her mouth shut.

"Sumimasen, Aya-kun. Ahehehe…"

A few moments later, she stopped and, in a flash, propped herself down on _his_ bed, and stared at the ceiling, not saying a thing for a while. Finally, she sat up once again, and stared back at him who was lying not so far away in a futon, ignoring her completely. His quick look on her told him that now her eyes bore confusion, as if solving a very hard riddle her sisters had fed on her.

"Aya-kun?"

And he knew exactly that she was about to start asking the first among the fifty questions she would again throw at him that night. He'd already known through experience that as long as he'd ignore her and give her that death glare, she'd finally get tired of her poking and incessant giggling and talking—things he had come to _love_—to _hate—_to endure.

"Aya-kun…?"

He didn't bother to move.

_Cute_ sigh. "Aya-kun…do you know how to smile?"

His more intense glare made her blush again and shut up.

…

"Aya-kun?"

He inwardly grumbled in annoyance.

"…eh…a-ano…are you hungry?"

…

"Oi, Aya-kun!!!" she insisted _poutingly_.

His eyes shot up to glare at her once again. She was still blushing, but even if she seemed to hesitate, she was asking it still anyway. "Eh…Aya-kun?"

He looked away again, the glare still in his face.

"Is your shoulder still—?"

A knock on his door had startled them both. Looking up, he then saw Yohji slightly open the door, then peer a little around the room before settling on them as if fearful he might catch something fishy.

He saw them sitting on their respective beds. But it wouldn't hurt to tease.

"_Oh my_," Yohji whistled, and there was a teasing gleam in his eyes, "have I ruined a moment?" he slyly asked.

Their reaction was instantaneous: Aya glared and Lime stared at him, confused Then just as instantly her mood changed and she was back to becoming energetic self.

"Oi, Oji-san!!"

"It's Yohji-niisan. But good evening to you, as well, pretty lady. Fujimiya," Yohji said seriously, the sly look still in his eyes.

"Kudou," he answered just as severely.

The guy only snorted. "Meeting in ten minutes. Same place." And he was just about to leave, until…

"Eh…Oji-san?"

Too bad Yohji had never been in the presence of this lady for hours that he couldn't pick up on her signs and habits. "It's Yohji-niisan, Lime-chan. But what is it?"

"A-ano…you're confusing."

Yohji's brows shot up in curiosity, his eyes still not completely leaving Aya. "Confusing?"

The woman-girl still frowned as she continued looking at him with her big, inquisitive eyes. "I do not understand."

"Eh? What do you not understand?"

"About what you said. A-ano…how can you ruin a moment when you couldn't even see or feel it? Do you need super lasers, like what Cherry-neechan has, just to break it?"

Yohji only stared at her once, twice, before shaking his head amusingly. "My cute Lime-chan. What I said was a figure of speech…of some sort. It means—"

"Kudou," Aya interrupted, already standing up, slightly flinching that he had used the hand where his injured shoulder was for support.

"Hai, hai, Fujimiya. I'll explain it later, Lime-chan."

"Hai, Oji-san!! Can you tell Manx-neesan that Lime-chan says 'hi'?"

"Who could ever deny you, Lime-chan?"

"A-ara…ja, Oji-san, Aya-kuuuun!!!"

"Ja, Lime-chan!!"

Aya only nodded before he closed the door.

…

…

She continued looking at the door Aya-kun has closed. She noticed him flinch when he had unconsciously used his injured shoulder as support. She smelled the blood that was about to come out due that slight strain, and she couldn't help but sigh in worry.

"…why do you always get hurt…?" she softly asked, brows curved slightly as if frowning.

She didn't know why she always worried for him. But she always did.

"…I only want to see you smile before I go…"

She recalled it all, from the day she met him.

The day she gave that jar. The day he had accused her of being a spy. The day he fell on her arms, insisting that she should leave.

"…even just once…"

The day she saw the tape.

The day she remembered everything in full clarity.

Her face was sad, but the cause of her sadness was not because of what happened to her.

"…_just smile once…Ran_-kun…"

She then took out the frame she had hidden under the foam of her bed, a picture she had seen and had kept when she opened Ran—Aya-kun's closet. It was kept very well, if not for her senses which she had started to regain. She stared at it. The picture was that of Ran-kun and a girl. A girl who looked like the younger version of Ran-kun's cousin, Sakura.

Lime shook her head. _No_. Manx-san had told her that Sakura-chan was not Ran—Aya-kun's real cousin. And Isha-chan told her that this girl…is someone very lonely right now. This girl is someone closest to his heart.

"…is she one of the reasons you don't smile anymore?"

…

…

When the four of them had entered the secret hideout, Manx was already waiting for them.

"You're late," Manx had muttered disapprovingly before she threw each of them a folder.

Yohji had easily caught it with his nimble fingers. "My, my, our sweetie is not so sweet this evening. Could it be that she's a little jealous that our attention has been _sorely divided_ these days?"

"Shut up, Kudou."

"No need to worry, _mah dahling_. I'm sure that if there's anyone whose attention is so sorely divided, it's not me." And his playful eyes had settled on the silently fuming Abyssinian.

Manx ignored him. "Have you noticed anything lately about the girls?"

"Are you sure you only want to know about the girls and not _somebody else_?" Yohji interjected again.

"Yes," Ken, Omi and Aya declared in unison.

Aya would've added about what he just heard about Lime and the maiden chip, but he knew that he couldn't risk being called an eavesdropper so he dropped it.

Manx smiled _approvingly _this time, still ignoring Yohji. "I really should've expected that from you. Have fun reading the contents of that folder you've just received then. That will surely clear your mind on a lot of aspects. That will be enough to have you thinking for a week while the _orders_ haven't arrived yet. Just take that as a gift from Persia—he said that he sympathized with your boredom."

And the woman just left as silently as she came.

And all Aya could think was,_ Lime._

…

**xxx**

…


End file.
